FireStorm
by MaxMustang
Summary: Rex has a new friend. She is a street punk with alot of fight. Will romance bloom? Or is this girl too wild for Rex even? Pairings: KrissXRex (OCXRex)
1. A Stormy Night

Chapter One- A Stormy Night

**HI! This is my first Yu-Gi-Oh! Story so be nice! This is a very weird plot but leave me alone, can I help it if I'm retarded? Wait… Nevermind, don't answer that…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters!**

**I also do not own any of the songs that I mention, even though I claim to have written them THEY ARE NOT MINE! I also do not own Dennis DeYoung, and nothing that I say about him is true and also again with the claiming thing…**

Chapter One – A Stormy Night

"You're shit! You're shit and you always will be shit!" Carman Sanchez shouted at a figure that was fleeing from her home. The fleer was a young girl of the age of nine named Kriss. Her daughter.

"Leave me alone!" Kriss cried as she continued to run. She had to get away before her step-dad got home. If that happened, all hell would brake loose.

Kriss stumbled into the alley a few blocks away. It was raining and it was somewhere around three in the morning. Kriss stepped out of the alley under a streetlight and looked at her reflection in the puddle. Her black hair was soaking wet and her eyes were wet with tears and puffy from crying.

As she stepped out of the light and back into the dark alley she dubbed her new home she noticed something lying on the ground. It was a duel monsters card. Although she had heard about the popular game from her step-dad she had never actually learned how to play.

Kriss bent to pick it up. She straightened herself and flipped the card over in her hand to see what monster it was. It resembled a big black wolf with huge sharp teeth that glistened in the light that was on the card. _'This is cool!'_ Kriss thought, a bit happier than before. _'This guy looks though, and I'm gonna be just like him!'_ Kriss was thinking about how she already had a head-start in that plan. She gazed at the wolf-tooth around her neck. The brown leather had already passed the test and she knew that it wouldn't snap.

She turned around and jumped on the big brown dumpster nearby. Kriss reached into her pocket. She took the long light blue ribbon-type piece of fabric out and expertly tied it around her head, right under the black bangs that stuck up the most. _'There! That's my symbol! From now on, I'm not gonna take no shit from anyone!'_ She thought bitterly. She swore even though she was only nine. What's the harm? They're only words. That's the way that she thought about it.

Suddenly a growling was heard from beneath her. Kriss jumped down and stuck the card into her pocket. Then she reached out and lifted the heavy lid off the dumpster. As the lid hit the wall of the hotel that made up one wall of the ally a furry object came pelting out of the dumpster.

It hit Kriss with full force and knocked her down. It was still raining and Kriss slid on her back until she hit the other wall, which wasn't very far over. The growling subsided and the creature got off of her. Kriss looked at it and recognized it instantly as the monster that she had seen on the card. She reached into her pocket and pulled it out. She looked at it, and back to the creature standing in front of her. Sure enough, they looked exactly the same. Kriss put the card back. She knew from experience that it was a wolf. And judging by how territorial it was, a male.

"Who are you?" Kriss asked, even though she knew that it couldn't respond. She reached out and was mildly surprised when the wolf let her touch him! Kriss stroked him and petted his ears. The wolf was just now getting wet and had closed his eyes, enjoying the scratching behind his ears that he was now receiving.

"You're a friendly little guy aren't you?" Kriss asked him.

The wolf wasn't very big. Actually it was very, very small. And very, very young. His eyes were still blue; they hadn't yet changed their color to the golden color of the mature wolf. She then got an idea. Kriss walked over to the dumpster. It didn't look as though it had been used in forever. It was also surprisingly clean. It looked as though the wolf was born there and everyone else left.

"You need a name…" Kriss said looking at the wolf. She thought about what she knew so far about his personality. He sort of reminded her of a rose. Sweet, but if you get too close you have to worry about the thorns. Wait. Thorns? That's it! Thorn.

"Thorn!" Kriss announced aloud. The wolf's ears pricked up as though he understood her.

"Well Thorn, now that I know a little about you, you should know about me!" Kriss said, "I play the guitar, and I'm actually really good! I've published music already too! But everyone thinks of me as Dennis DeYoung, the Legend of rock and roll! OH CRAP! My guitar's still at mom's house!" A worried look appeared across Kriss's face.

Kriss shot up and bolted out of the ally. She went splashing through mud puddles, taking the route that she had used to get _away_ for the hell house. She crept around to the back and peered through the window. She heard more splashing and turned to see the Thorn had followed her.

"Thorn!" Kriss whispered. Thorn looked over in her direction and happily trotted towards her. A relieved sigh overtook Kriss as she put her hand on his head to make sure that he was quiet. He seemed to know that it was important and thus, stayed quiet. Thunder shook the earth and the side door slammed shut.

"That little bitch isn't anywhere to be seen!" Kriss heard her step-dad say.

"Well, we have to keep looking, if she blabs we would go to prison!" Carman said.

_'Actually, that's not a bad idea…'_ Kriss thought deviously. It would serve her mom right. Dumping her in an orphanage at birth and reclaiming her just so _she_ could do all the chores and get beaten. It was quite depressing really. Kriss had never known her father, but considering the lack of dad, she doubt that he would have done anything to help her.

"Well we'll just have to look in the morning, she won't have gone far in the rain anyways, you know what a wimp that idiot was!" the step-dad replied.

Kriss heard the squeaking of the floor boards and the _click! _of the light. Moments later the door slammed shut. Kriss knew exactly what was happening and chose this moment to climb up through the window. She landed on the floor with the quietness of the cat and lightly stepped through the house that she'd quickly learned to hate. Kriss approached her room and prayed to God that it wouldn't squeak now of all times and she pushed the door ajar. God had answered her silent prayer and the door opened noiselessly.

Kriss crossed the room in two strides and snatched up her guitar by the strap. She swung it over her shoulder and thought, '_halfway there.' _She quickly made her way out of the hell house and back out the window. Thorn whined happily as though she was his mother.

"Shush!" Kriss chastised quietly. Together they ran back to their new home, leaving their old lives behind them.

**Well? I like it. I don't think that it's TOO bad! But please no flames, this is my first attempt at a YGO fanfic and I think that it turned out quite well! So don't lower my self esteem by saying that it sucked. I also know that it had nothing to do with YGO right now but background info was needed so there! Then again, if I DO get flames I could use them to find out whether cookie really IS flammable or not! D**

**Kriss**


	2. A Precarious Decision

Chapter Two – A Precarious Decision

**Again, I do not own the peoples, 'cept me and Thorn and Carman, but she needs to die so I wish I didn't…**

**Chapter Two – A Precarious Decision**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

Four Years Later

Kriss awoke with a start as light filtered in through the cracks in the dumpster and fell upon her eyes. She lifted the lid off the dumpster and stretched. Thorn popped up as though he had been awake the whole night, only that he was full of energy and bouncing everywhere like a madman. Kriss laughed.

"Slow down! This day is more than likely going to be just like every other day this week!" Kriss scolded playfully. All week those two had spent all of their time sneaking around police members all over the city of Domino. Every since Kriss's mom had reported her as a runaway they had been searching everywhere for her. They had even mustered up enough brains to catch her twice. Both times that she was caught she was forced to stay in the prison cells while her mom came. Kriss busted out and hadn't seen her mom in four years.

Today, however, there was something different. For example a big mob had collected along the sides of the street. _'Not another duelist!'_ Kriss thought. She heaved herself over the dumpster walls and Thorn quickly followed. She closed it and went out to see what sort of food she could nick today.

As they passed the bakery next to the hotel, tantalizing aromas danced around her and Thorn and they stopped momentarily to breathe in the warm, fresh smells.

'Too bad boy, right now we have to stick with something that isn't as highly guarded…" Kriss said nodding towards the baker that had always distrusted them. He hated street punks like Kriss hanging around his store.

As they reached the end of the block just pass the bakery however, there was a police man and he had spotted them. _'Shit!'_ Kriss screamed at herself for being so carefree and out in the open like that. Thorn perked his ears up and his eyes narrowed at the sight.

"Hey you!" The uniform stepped closer.

"This is the part where we run!" Kriss yelled at Thorn.

Both of them took of down the street, the police man close behind. But they were also approaching the mob that had collected earlier. _'Thank you stupid duelists, your timing couldn't have been better!'_ Kriss though angrily as they approached the mob of cheering fans as the duelists strutted through the pathway created like rock-stars.

As Kriss approached she caught glimpses of them through the crowd, and she instantly recognized them from Monday's paper. She couldn't remember the names but that was them all right. One kid had purple bangs and a red hat. The other had gold glasses and aqua hair.

Thorn soon surpassed her in speed and he also didn't care about the crown and barreled right through them. On his way by Thorn accidentally knocked the kid with glasses to the ground.

"Hey watch it!" the kid with the hat yelled.

"Well, move out of my way! This is a police chase!" Kriss yelled back as she passed him.

Kriss continued running through the crowd, ignoring the yells of anger coming form the fans as they had seen her knock that kid over. They packed tightly together and wouldn't let her through.

"Um, hi, how are you doing?" Kriss asked dumbly.

Kriss tried to get around the angry people. Meanwhile the police man was having just as much trouble getting through as Kriss on the other end of the pathway. The two kids in the middle were back on their feet and glaring at Kriss and Thorn.

"For crying out loud, will you _move?" _Kriss shouted at one of the kids.

"No way, you knocked down Weevil Underwood, he's the regional winner!" The kid shot back stubbornly.

"It wasn't me and I'm running from the police over there, or are you too blind to see that!" Kriss yelled back.

"Well good! You deserve it!" A girl nearby shouted.

"Look, one at a time, well, probably four at a time I could whip you all but right now this is important and I need to get through!" Kriss said.

"Yeah, we want their autographs but you can't have everything you want in the world!" The first kid shot back.

Kriss grabbed the kid by his shirt collar and pulled him up towards her, he couldn't have been older than 11, "This isn't a want, it's a need. If I go back to my parents they'll probably murder me!" Kriss growled angrily into his face.

"Whoa! Okay, just settle down, you can get through just don't kill me!" They boy pleaded.

Kriss dropped him bodily and he landed on his butt. "Thank you, c'mon Thorn!" Kriss called.

Thorn ran up and he and Kriss continued running down the street while the mob resumed their cheering and asking for autographs.

"Sheesh, fans," Kriss said, turning the corner to get more far away from the cop who'd, luckily, already given up getting around the fans.

Thorn whined and looked at his friend.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm hungry too, but you know, we don't really have any money…." Kriss said staring at the ground.

They kept walking until they had gone all the way around the block, taking their time so the cop could disappear. By the time they were done putzing around it took them three hours to get around the block. When they got back the sky was starting to cloud over and it looked like it was gonna rain.

Kriss peeked cautiously around the corner of the bakery and saw that the cop was gone. When they went around the corner and light downpour started and moistened the earth in only 5 seconds.

"Great!" Kriss said, kicking the side of the building out of frustration, "We still haven't eaten anything and now, we're gonna be soaked, face it Thorn, we probably aren't gonna get no food today dude. Now that it's raining not as many people are going to be out so there's no cover if we nick something!" Kriss let out a sigh of anger.

They went back to the ally to sleep so they could be ready for that night to defend their turf, (Cough the dumpster cough.)

The door swung open on squeaky hinges, waking up Kriss and Thorn. It was the door to the arcade. Kriss lay there and listened to the rain pelt the dumpster in what sounded like golf ball sized drops of rain.

She heard some folks talking. They were voices that she didn't recognize so she lifted the dumpster lid and jumped out, Thorn at her heels.

It was those two kids from earlier. Kriss reached into the dumpster and pulled out Monday's paper before shutting it. Kriss flipper through it until she found the article she wanted. Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood, Duel Monsters Regional winner and Runner-Up. According to the article, they were pretty evenly matched yet Weevil still managed to beat Rex. Also, they were here for two weeks until the ship to the Duelist Kingdom Tournament left.

"Oh……" Kriss said softly to herself.

The pair were walking out of the arcade when they were stopped by a kid who asked for their autographs. Weevil had already given his and now they were waiting for Rex to sign. As they were about to hand to board back they told the kid that it would cost him his strongest card. They little kid reluctantly gave it to them and they walked away laughing.

"Do you always rip off little kids for fun?"

Rex and Weevil spun around to see Kriss leaning against the wall of the arcade in the safety of her alley.

"Do you always butt into other peoples' business?" Weevil asked her.

"If it concerns me," Kriss responded.

"But it didn't, so why would you care?" Rex asked.

"But it does! If you two slime balls bring a gang of street punks over here, I'm not gonna protect you!" Kriss announced.

"We don't need your protection, who would beat _us_ up, we're famous!" Weevil said.

"Just so you know. Where are you guys staying?" Kriss asked.

"Wouldn't you want to know?" Rex asked.

"Actually yes, if anything bad happens I know where to find you," Kriss explained.

"What sort of bad things?" Weevil asked back.

"Things about the little kid that you two just gypped," Kriss explained.

The two boys laughed.

"Why would he do that, he has our autographs?" Rex laughed.

"What about when you're outdone?" Kriss asked.

Rex and Weevil stopped laughing. "Uhhhhhh…….." they both said, looking at each other.

"See? It very much concerns me!" Kriss triumphantly stated.

"No, a little," Rex said, holding his fingers close together to show her how much he worried about her.

A pair of headlights illuminated the area. Kriss looked horrified. She gave a sharp loud whistle using her fingers. Thorn came to her side immediately. "'Vette!" Kriss told him. They both dove behind the dumpster.

Kriss put her back to the dumpster as the conversation started.

"Have you two seen a girl wandering around here lately?" Kriss herd her mom ask.

"No, we're new here," Rex responded.

"Well, let me know if you she a girl with black hair and a red guitar strapped around her back, okay?" She asked politely.

"Alright," Weevil said.

Kriss peeked slowly around the corner and watched as the sleek car pulled away, glistening in the streetlight.

She stepped out from behind the dumpster and walked up to Rex and Weevil, just now realizing that they were taller than her.

"Thanks for covering for me…" Kriss thanked shyly.

"What's wrong with you? It's like you've never had to thank anyone in your life," Rex discovered.

"I live alone, me and Thorn, we watch out for ourselves. The dynamic duo! The fantastic two!" Kriss explained.

"I thought it was the Fantastic Four?" Weevil asked, confused.

"Well, there's only two of us so that doesn't really fit now does it?" Kriss replied.

"Not really," Rex answered.

The rain got heavier and pretty soon Kriss's bangs were no longer standing up. "Awwwwww………… Kriss said, poking at her lifeless bangs, "Well, better get going, don't want to get anymore wet," Kriss said.

"Where do _you_ live?" Weevil asked.

"Right here," Kriss answered, pointing to the brown, rusted dumpster.

"You live in a dumpster?" Rex asked.

"Yeah," Kriss said.

"Don't you live with your mom or your dad?" Weevil asked her.

"That _was_ my mom, and I don't know who my dad is…" Kriss explained.

"Well… um… you can crash at my place for the night if you want…." Rex offered.

"Really?" Kriss's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Sure, you're not _that_ bad once we got to know you…" Rex continued.

The Thorn took that opportune moment to rid himself of the water that clung to his coat and his light blue bandana that matched Kriss's head band, or whatever you call it…

The three put up their hands to stop the barrage of water from hitting them in the face.

"Thorn!" Kriss yelled.

Thorn stopped but still whined at looked at her.

"Don't look at me like that!" Kriss scolded.

"So, my apartment's this way…" Rex said, starting to lead the way.

"Okay!" Kriss said enthusiastically.

Weevil said goodbye, as his building was the one that made up a wall of Kriss's alley. The other two kept walking.

"So, you're really not that mean and dangerous under it all," Rex said after awhile, trying to strike up a conversation.

"Oh, believe me, I'm plenty dangerous when needed," Kriss told him.

"But you're not that mean," Rex persisted.

"Well… I can be, it depends on who I'm around, for years the only friend that I've ever had has been Thorn; I've never had human friends before…" Kriss said, focusing on the ground.

"You've had a pretty rough life huh?" Rex asked.

"Yeah, you could say that… Orphaned, enslaved, sorta, escapee, street punk, I've been many things so far!" Kriss laughed.

"I guess so," Rex agreed.

"You know, when you're not stealing cards from little kids you're not that mean either," Kriss said.

"Hey! We were selling our autographs…" Rex explained.

"Yeah, but even so, it could still cuase trouble later on, and when that time comes it won't be too bad to have me as an ally," Kriss told him.

"Okay, deal, you can stay at my place for awhile if you protect me from bullies that won't attack me and Weevil!" Rex held out his hand.

"Hey! That's not a deal, you've got to give me something else," Kriss persisted.

"No, than you have to do more for me!" Rex argued.

"Like what?" Kriss asked.

They had reached Rex's apartment and they stopped outside.

"I don't know, but what else did you want?" Rex asked.

"A friend," She answered.

Rex paused. This little teenager, if she was even that old, could ruin his and Weevil's reputation.

"You would owe me big, I don't give my friendship to just anybody you know, got a deck?" Rex asked.

"A what?" Kriss asked.

"A Duel Monsters deck" Rex explained.

"No, I don't have any time for Duel Monsters," Kriss said.

"Okay then, we'll think of something else…" Rex decided.

"So am I your friend?"

"Uhhhhhh…… sure…." Rex agreed.

**Yippee! Well that concludes chapter two! Hope you still like it so far! That was a decent length right? I thought so, that's why I ended it! A ha ha ha ha! I crack myself up!**

**Kriss**


	3. Rex's Place

Chapter Three – Rex's Place

**Well how do you like it so far? Are you at this chapter because you like it? Or because you want to see what happens and hope that it's bad so you can make fun of me? I hope it's the first one. Disclaimer – Ditto on the first and second combined**

**Chapter Three – Rex's Place**

Kriss and Rex walked up the two flights of stairs that were separating them from his room. When the door of Rex's apartment opened, a gray fuzz ball flew out of the room and started rubbing Rex's legs with its body.

"Hey, Jayvee," Rex greeted.

Kriss bent down to greet the cat. He was gray with a periwinkle bandana around his neck, it reminded Kriss of Thorn's, who as we speak was lightly growling.

"I didn't know you had a cat!" Kriss exclaimed.

"You never asked," Rex shrugged.

They stepped in.

"Well want do you want me to say, 'Hey Rex, do you have a cat? I have no clue where I got the idea that you might but then again, I was just wondering.' Huh? Ya like that?" Kriss asked.

"You have a point there…" Rex admitted.

Kriss looked around the apartment. It had a cool layout. The living room was right in front of her. To her left was a storage area to hang up your coat, beyond that was a door that was closed. To the other side was the bathroom, the door stood a jar, and beyond that with no door was the kitchen. Rex had a tan couch which sat facing the plasma T.V. while there was a small coffee table in between.

"Wow!" Kriss exclaimed.

"It's not much…" Rex said modestly.

"Rex, I've been living in an alley for four years to me this is a mansion!" Kriss said.

"True," Rex agreed.

Thorn meanwhile was still growling, progressively getting louder. Jayvee shot him a nasty look and hissed then growled back.

"Thorn be nice!" Kriss scolded.

Thorn whined and approached Jayvee cautiously so as not to get his head bitten off. Jayvee also settled down and allowed himself to be greeted by Thorn. The two exchanged glances and sat.

"That's weird; Thorn isn't trying to mutilate him…." Kriss observed.

"All for the better…." Rex said.

"True," Kriss agreed.

The pair just stood there.

"So, what now?" Asked Kriss.

"I dunno…" Rex replied.

"Well it _is _kinda late, do you just want to watch a movie?" Rex offered.

"Uh… sure…"Kriss responded.

Kriss continued to gaze around the apartment as Rex went and sat down on the couch and turned on the T.V.

"We can see what's on first," Rex suggested.

"Um, okay?" Kriss said, sitting down next to him.

Rex flipped through the channels and found a dueling match.

"This okay?" He asked.

"I don't care," Kriss replied.

The match was in between some duelists that Kriss had never heard of, probably because she didn't follow it. One of the duelists summoned Silver Fang.

"Hey, my cark looks like that one!" Kriss exclaimed.

"I though that you didn't have any cards," Rex said.

"No, you asked if I had a deck, I have a card, but not a deck," Kriss said, pulling the card form her pocket.

"Can I see it?" Rex inquired.

"Sure," Kriss replied, handing it to him.

"Whoa, I've never heard of this card, but it's really strong!" Rex exclaimed.

"6,000 is strong?" Kriss asked.

"Yeah!" Rex told her, "Where'd you get it?" He then asked.

"I found it on the street when I first ran away," Kriss explained.

"You found _this_ on the street?" Rex asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, why?" Kriss asked.

"This is the most powerful card I've ever seen!" Rex exclaimed.

"The really weird part is that it looks _just _like Thorn!" Kriss told him.

Thorn's ears perked up at the mention of his name.

"Yeah, it does. Hey, tomorrow we could show it to Weevil and see if he recognizes it," Rex suggested.

Kriss shrugged, "Okay."

They continued watching the duel. About twenty minutes later, Rex looked over at Kriss to see that she was asleep. She was also shivering.

_'Is it really that cold in here?'_ Rex asked himself, _'Or is it just her?'_ Nevertheless, Rex decided to be nice and took off his jacket and draped it around her.

Kriss woke when the jacket had first hit her shoulders. She silently watched as Rex in his yellow shirt that was barely visible earlier under his jacket, turn off the T.V. and get up and walk through the door that was closed before.

_'I guess he's not completely mean all the time,' _Kriss thought.

The next morning

Rex awoke around eight in the morning. He slowly aroused and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He was startled when he realized that he didn't have his jacket, but then he remembered that he gave to Kriss last night.

He quietly opened the door, in case she was still asleep. But when walked out into the living room he saw that she wasn't there. There was a note on the coffee table Rex picked it up and read it.

_'Went to check on things.__ Be back later, don't know when, thanks for the jacket last night,_

_ Kriss'_

The green jacket was lying on the couch, Rex grabbed it and put it on. The front door was still locked._ 'How did she get out?'_ Rex asked himself. He assumed that she went back to the alley. Rex grabbed a key and went to meet her.


	4. The Fight

Chapter Four – The Fight

**Wow I'm already on chapter four! And I only submitted this story tow days ago! I like to write! This is fun! I like starting a new story!**

**Chapter Four – The Fight**

Kriss was bending over into her dumpster. She straightened herself, holding a black laptop bag.

"Ahhh, music!" Kriss exclaimed.

Then footsteps were heard along with, "What are you doing on our turf, girl?"

Kriss spun around to face three heavily muscular street punks like herself.

"Excuse me? Your turf? _Your_ turf?" Kriss asked angrily.

"Yeah, this is our alley now, we just claimed it yesterday!" The biggest and possibly the most stupid of them all asked.

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but, I've been living here for four years! _Four _years! That's about how smart you are huh?" Kriss smugly replied.

The big punk grabbed her neck and held her up against the wall of the arcade, lifting her off her feet. Thorn growled, but refrained from attacking, waiting for Kriss to make a move.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked her.

"Well, besides just confirming what I just said, I mean that you have the intelligence of a four year old smart one!" Kriss shot back.

"You sure 'bout that?" He asked.

"Yes, now, put me down, you're about to flatten my guitar!" Kriss gasped.

The punk dropped her and swiped the guitar off of her back.

"No, it's not yours anymore, now it's ours!" He laughed, throwing it to one of his buddies.

"Give it back! I've been through hell and back to rescue that from my insane mom! And mark my words; it _will_ be in my hands in 20 minutes!" Kriss told them.

"Sure it will, what you gonna do about it girl? You're just a weak little girl, there's nothing that you can do to get this hunk 'o hardware beck!" The leader smirked.

Kriss's eyes narrowed.

Meanwhile Rex was rounding the corner and could instantly tell that Kriss was already there. He could also see two big tough guys on the street laughing at something that was in the alley.

_'Shit! Kriss!' _Rex worried. He ran up to the street punks and saw Kriss glaring at another street punk waving her guitar in front of her face. Suddenly he saw her eyes go ablaze as though they had just caught on fire.

"Hey, it's the macho duelist!" One of the sidekicks laughed, nodding at Rex. Rex glared back, watching Kriss spring into action.

Kriss swung her leg around, close to the ground and knocked the big guy on his ass! She then snatched up her guitar and set it on the dumpster. The other two punks grabbed her and pinned her arms to her sides, but Kriss was too fast. She easily jumped aside, leaving the clumsy stooges to fall on their faces.

By this time the first guy was up and charging at Kriss who ran right back. When they met, the gangster flung a wild, yet powerful punch at Kriss; who easily blocked it and kicked him hard in the shin. The punk yelled in pain as anger took hold.

He somehow managed to knock her off of her feet and was holding her down with his foot.

"Well, I've got to admit it, you've spunk kid, but, face it, you're just a weak little girl, frail, helpless, and dependent on the world around you!" The punk laughed.

"No, I'm not. I hate the world and the world hates me. We are bitter enemies in the circle of hate and distrust. I'm _not _weak, I'm_ not_ frail and this fight's not over! I'm goon kick your ass!" Kriss yelled as she grabbed his foot and twisted it with every ounce of strength she could spare.

He yelled in pain and was forced to hop on one foot for awhile. The sidekicks attempted to help, but were soon stopped by Thorn, who was coming to his friend's aid.

Thorn lunged as the two shrieked in fright. Rex almost did, he never realized that Thorn could look so dangerous. He was glad that he wasn't _his_ enemy. Then Kriss's words rang in his ears, '_it could still cuase trouble later on, and when that time comes it won't be too bad to have me as an ally,' _Rex now understood why she had said that. She_ was_ dangerous, and he didn't want to tangle with her now. If he was her friend, it would protect him from her.

The punk was kneeling on the ground, wincing in groaning in pain. Then he stopped and whipped out a knife. Kriss jumped aside before he could cuase some_ real _damage.

He started slashing blindly with the knife, missing every time. Kriss did a back flip and knocked the knife out of his hand; it sailed through the air and stuck hard into a plank of wood connecting the two buildings.

"Now, it's even again," Kriss announced.

The gangster looked up at her in horror as he kneeled on the ground.

"Get out of my alley before I kill you!" Kriss threatened.

The other two, scratched from Thorn, helped their leader to his feet and dragged out of the alley and down the street.

"Could you really kill him?" Rex asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, it's not that hard…" Kriss replied,

Ice swept through Rex's body at these words. Kriss walked over and retrieved her guitar, the one that started it all.

"That's a scary thought," Rex said.

"Eh? Oh! It _wouldn't_ be that hard," Kriss corrected herself.

"I'm glad you changed your words…" Rex responded.

"Sorry," Kriss apologized.

"That's cool. So anyways, I came here to tell you that me and Weevil are leaving for the Duelist Kingdom tournament, so we'll be back in a few weeks, about two maybe," Rex told her.

"Okay, leaving now?" She asked.

"Yeah, could you watch Jayvee while I'm gone, here's a key," Rex handed her one.

"Sure," Said Kriss as she took it from him.

"Well, bye, see you later," Rex said.

"Bye," Kriss said as she watched her friend leave.

**Yeah, i know, it's short but the next chappie will be longer i swear!**


	5. Devlin

Chapter Five – Devlin

**W00T! I'm already on Chapter five! I hope that you still are enjoying it as of yet!**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on Chap three**

**Chapter Five – Devlin **

A little later (HI! I'm feeling boring…)

Kriss leaned against the wall on one side of her alley, sitting on her dumpster strumming random chords on her guitar. Thorn sat quietly next to her, waiting to see if she was actually going to play something.

Kriss put her guitar down and picked up the bag. She took out the laptop and turned it on.

"Greetings," It greeted her as the screen came into focus.

"Damn thing is too proper…" Kriss complained.

Thorn went to sleep.

Kriss scoffed.

She clicked into solitaire and started playing a game.

After she finished winning her fifth game in a row, someone left the arcade.

"See ya later Devlin!" Some guy called.

"See ya!" Called back, 'Devlin.'

He stopped in front of her and just stared for awhile.

What do you want?" She growled.

"Why are you out so late on a school night?" He asked.

"What's it to you?" Kriss shot back.

"Nothing, but why?" He pressed.

"Because I live here, and I don't go to school," Kriss told him.

"Ahhh, runaway?" He asked.

"From the Hell House," Kriss resumed playing her solitaire game.

"Want to crash at my place for awhile?" he asked.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Kriss asked.

"My half sister ran away and now we have to clue where she is… I'm worried, even though I never knew her…" He sighed.

"I'm sorry, but I'm fine right here," Kriss replied.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"I'll manage," Kriss responded.

"Okay…" He said, as he finally walked away.

Thorn growled at her.

"What!" She asked, throwing her arms up.

Down the street the dude stopped and listened to the following conversation:

"I know, I know! Geez, don't bite my head off!"

Silence.

"Hey! If you wanna go, be my guest, I'm not stopping you!"

Silence

"I don't care!"

Silence.

"Fine…"

Kriss turned off her laptop and put it back in the bag. Then she jumped down from the dumpster and grabbed her guitar, slinging it over her shoulder as she turned the corner out of her alley, Thorn at her heels.

"Change your mind?" The guy asked.

"He made me" Kriss pointed at Thorn.

"I heard," He replied.

"Snoop," Kriss responded.

And so they walked for awhile, Kriss the whole time wary of police and other things that want to kill her.

"So, who are you anyways?" Kriss asked after awhile.

"Oh yeah! Duke Devlin. Creator of-"

"Dungeon Dice Monsters, yeah I know, I read it in the paper," Kriss said.

"You read the paper?" Duke asked.

"I have a lot of free time…" Kriss joked.

"I'm sure you do," Duke said.

"Yeah!" Exclaimed Kriss.

"So why did you run away?" Asked Duke.

"That, my friend, is very complicated," Kriss exasperated.

"Oh, my sis ran away because she was mad at our mom…" Duke said, "I've always wanted to meet her, but I don't know if I ever will. Mom always goes out looking for her though; sometimes I go with her, just so I can meet my sister."

"I was sorta mad at my mom too, but she's psychopath so I'm good," Kriss told him.

"Oh."

They walked awhile longer, until they reached what looked like a shop that hadn't yet opened yet. Kriss peered in. It looked like a game shop.

"This is us," Duke said shyly.

"You live in a game shop?" Kriss asked. Duke nodded. "Hot _damn!_that's cool!" She said excitedly.

Duke just stared.

"What?" Kriss asked him.

"Did you just swear?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?" Kriss challenged.

"Nevermind…" Duke said.

They went in. Kriss had never been in an unopened building before, it was actually really cool!

"wow…." She whispered softly, making a complete 360 degree rotation to see everything in the shop.

"Upstairs," Duke said.

"What's upstairs?" Kriss asked.

"Where I live," Duke explained.

"Oh…" Kriss said. She followed Duke up the stairs. Sorry to leave the cool looking shop; vowing to be back later.

**FEAR THE SHORTNESS! The next might be longer…. Don't know for a fact though… OH WELL! XDDDDDDDDD**

**That was fun. So review, you know you want to!…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……………..…………………………………………………………………………………..are you going to review now or what?**

**Kriss**


	6. Family Ties

Chapter Six – Family Ties

**YAY! Six! I know that it grew real fast all of a sudden. Apparently I broke a rule on fanfic and my account got frozen for a week as my punishment… **

**Disclaimer – Ditto on Last**

**Chapter Six – Family Ties**

The phone rang. Duke went over and answered it.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Oh, hi mom…. No, I'm fine. Yeah, like always. What? I can't. I have a friend over. Okay I'll keep I lookout for it. What was her name? My sis, I want to know her name. Okay, thanks," Duke hung the phone back up.

"Hey Kriss?" He said, plopping on the couch.

"Yeah?" She said, following his example of the couch-plopping.

"What was your mom's name?" He asked.

"Carman," Kriss told him, closing her eyes.

"And what's her last name?" He asked.

"Why?" Responded Kriss, eyes still closed.

"Just wondering, so?" he pressed.

"Sanchez, I think, I don't really pay much attention…" Kriss said.

"That's my mom" Duke stated.

Kriss's eyes flew open and she bolted into an upright position.

"Come again?" She said.

"That's my mom," Duke said again.

"Oh shit, you're gonna tell her aren't you?" Kriss exclaimed.

"Naaaaaah, you're my little sis now, I wouldn't do that!" Duke said.

"Good, _you_ don't hate me, you're nice Duke!" Kriss said happily.

"Thanks," Duke stated.

"So… do you know my dad then?" Kriss asked.

"Nope, sorry. He and mom were already through when I went to visit her after living with my dad. She hardly ever talks about him either, but she did say that he was a jerk and yet she still is trying to get him back… I don't get it…" Duke explained.

"That's weird…." Kriss said, slightly crestfallen.

"We could try to figure it out though, I mean, you didn't get everything from mom," Duke said reasonably.

"True, um," She looked up at her bangs, "Those aren't moms."

"Yeah, those are probably from your dad," Duke told her.

"Um, other than that, who knows," Kriss said, lying back down on the couch.

"True," Duke said, flopping down on the other couch.

"So, now what?" She asked boredly.

Duke shrugged.

And so this continued for awhile, they just laid there, asking what to do and the other shrugging, until, the doorbell rang.

Duke got up and walked over to a speaker box, he held down a button and said, "Who is it?" the answer came, plain as day, "Your mom."

"Shit!" Kriss said, bolting upright once again, Thorn yelped.

"Is your friend still there Duke, I could come back later?" She asked.

"No, no, my friend's gone!" Duke said hurriedly into the speaker.

"Good, now unlock the door so I can come up!" She replied.

"Duke pushed a buzzer and the door downstairs unlocked.

"Hello? What the Hell am I supposed to do?" Kriss yelled at him.

Duke clamped his hand over her mouth, "You idiot, she's only downstairs!" He hissed at her.

Kriss glared back.

He let her go and she said, a bit more quietly this time, "Well, what am I supposed to do then?"

"Oh, shit. Uh…Closet!" Duke concluded.

"The closet?" Kriss exclaimed.

"You lived in a dumpster, you can be in a closet for-"Duke was cut off by, "Duke?" coming from the door.

"Closet, now!" Duke ushered her and Thorn into the closet nearby.

"Coming!" He called to the door.

The closet door closed and he went and opened the main door to let his mom in.

"Hey! I thought that you had forgotten about me!" his mom greeted.

"How could I forget about you?" he asked.

She laughed; through the door, Kriss could tell that it sounded the same as before she ran away, the last time she heard her laugh was when she was drunk the night before. How could it sound the same after four years? Hadn't she aged at all?

And this went on for awhile too! Kriss and Duke's mom doing something and Kriss wondering if she had aged at all. But then something disastrous happened! They were going to play Sequence!

"Where is it?" Kriss heard her mom ask.

"In the closet, but I'll get it, it's too high for you to reach," Duke answered.

Kriss heard him walk over to the closet and he opened the door.

"Doing okay?" He asked, reaching up for the game.

"Yeah, when's she gonna leave?" Kriss whispered.

"I don't know, I'll play really hard so she'll lose faster," Duke whispered back. Pulling down the game.

"Okay," Kriss said.

Duke closed the door and walked back out. Kriss could hear the game rattling as he went over to begin the game. After Kriss heard her mom say that she could play this game all night, she laid her head on Thorn; who was already asleep and joined him; grateful for the time.

**Yeah I know, that was kinda short. I though that it would be longer but I guess I lied…. Oh well! XDDDD**

**Kriss**


	7. Horror

Chapter Seven – The Horror

**Well, at least when the chapters are short there's more to read, I guess. Kinda. Not really. Nevermind…**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Seven – The Horror**

Duke opened the closet door and Kriss fell out, asleep, but not for long.

"Wha?" She said groggily.

"How did you fall asleep in a closet?" Duke asked.

"I dunno, boredom I guess…" Kriss shrugged.

"Weird…" Duke replied, as he went over and plopped on the couch again.

Thorn peeked his head out of the closet and sneakily snuck up on Duke. He was full of energy and wanted to play. Thorn suddenly jumped on Duke who yelped; startled.

Kriss laughed. She went and joined Thorn in the tackling of her brother. After a few minutes of confusing and playful fighting Duke had Kriss in a headlock and was giving her a noogie. Kriss was getting mad, but not too mad. The friendly type of mad. Kriss wiggled around managed to escape Duke's headlock.

"That was cool!" He complimented.

"Why thank you!" Kriss said, then she jumped on her brother and they started wrestling again. (A/N it's really fun to try to kill your older brother! Mine is nine years older than me but we always fight. I always steal his hat and he grabs me by the back of my shirt and pulls me back and we start fighting, it's great! Anyways…)

After awhile Duke looked at his watch, "I've got to get ready for school!" he yelped.

"You go to school?" Kriss asked.

"Yeah, I'm not that old!" Duke said, rushing into his bedroom.

Kriss looked at Thorn, who looked just as confused as her and shrugged. She then hauled out her laptop and started playing Solitaire again.

When Duke came out he looked over at her game.

"You like solitaire don't you?" He asked, putting on his blue jacket.

"Yeah, you like blue don't you?" She asked.

"It's the school uniform," He explained.

"That's dumb," Kriss stated.

"I know, I'll be back later," Duke said, leaving.

The door slammed.

"Bye," Kriss said to the closed door.

Later (Again, bored, and feeling borING oh well… it's gonna be very long if I don't do this…)

Duke came back through the door at three. The place looked empty. Kriss and Thorn were gone. The only clue he had was a piece of paper with the words, '_I've been shattered'_ on it.

"I've been shattered?" Duke said, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Duke realized that the cordless was off the hook. He picked it up and hit a number to call the last person who called there. He listened to it ring a few times, then an answering machine picked up. With horror Duke set the phone back on the cradle. He quickly changed into his normal clothes and rushed out the door.

Duke grabbed his keys. He quickly locked up behind him and flew out the main door to his car. Duke slammed the door shut and jammed the keys into ignition. He didn't know where to start looking but he had to find Kriss. Before someone else did.

The someone.

Duke flew down the street, as fast as would be allowed by the speed limit. He still held Kriss's clue in his hand. He had to figure out what it meant. Shattered, shattered. Mirrors shattered. Hearts shattered. _Lives shattered!_ Of course. The phone wasn't supposed to be off the hook. That just let him figure it out faster.

Now he understood.

Someone had called.

_The_ someone.

The one person who had shattered her life from beginning to end.

**Ooh! DUN DUN DUN! WHO IS IT! WHO DID IT! Read the next chapter to find out. I'll let you know this though. FIRE! LOTS OF FIRE! And FUR! THE FUR WILL FLY! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA! I think I'm insane…..**

**Kriss**


	8. Sibling Support

Chapter Eight – Sibling Support

**Time for you to find out who called! Ooooh! I didn't know I was gonna put mystery into this story! WOW! I shock myself!**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Eight – Sibling Support**

Duke barreled down the road to the only place he knew Kriss to go. The alley.

As Duke was about to turn the corner he spotted her. She was walking down the road with Thorn at her heels. She was walking right past her alley. Duke pulled up to her and drove slowly alongside her.

"What the hell are you doing? Why didn't you just stay at my place!" Duke yelled at her.

"I take it you didn't figure out my clue," She smiled.

"No, I did. You accidentally left two clues," Duke told her.

"How, I only left my shattered clue didn't I?" Kriss asked.

"No, you left the phone off the hook," Duke explained.

"No I didn't, I put it back and we left," Kriss said, looking down at Thorn, "Unless…. Goddammit Thorn! We were supposed to have more time!" Kriss glared at her traveling buddy.

"He knocked it off?" Duke asked.

"Yeah," Kriss said, stopping.

Duke stopped too. He got out of his car and walked over to her, "What's this really about?" He asked.

"She called," Kriss said, "That crazy bitch called. I answered, I didn't know it was her, you need caller ID or something, and she knew it was me instantly and I was afraid she was gonna come after me. I got scared Duke! I got fucking scared!" Kriss yelled, eyes watering.

"Hey, it's okay, everyone gets scared once in awhile," Duke said comforting her.

"Not me, I've never been so scared in my life! Never in my life did I think I'd have to be scared of her, but I couldn't stay there! I was trapped like a rat!" Kriss pointed out.

"C'mon, I don't think she came, everything was still there and she probably would've thrown the note out," Duke said.

"Are you sure?" Kriss said, looking up at the brother she'd never known.

"Positive," Duke said reassuringly.

"But, then if she hadn't come already, doesn't that mean she will eventually?" Kriss asked, "And she'll be mad at you too!"

"She's never been mad at me," Duke told her.

"Lucky, that bitch hates me!" Kriss pouted.

After Kriss had calmed down, Duke managed to convince her to come back with him. He promised protection but Kriss still didn't believe it completely, as far as she knew, this was all some plot to ship her back off to her mom's. But she couldn't help but trust him.

They drove back, Kriss had her eyes closed and was in deep though the whole way. Duke didn't bother her. For he had things to ponder as well. What if he was wrong and their mom _did_ show up? What would happen? Whatever did happen he wouldn't let his mom take Kriss. Sounded to him as though she'd been through enough.

As they made their way into the building, Kriss noticed that Thorn was acting weird. He seemed very wary and on the look for something.

"What is it?" Kriss asked.

Thorn growled. He then eased his tone.

"Well?" Duke asked.

Kriss narrowed her eyes. Duke suddenly got the idea that she could understand that wolf. Something seemed different about her. She seemed more confident, or maybe it was anger, (YES! You win, I'm trying to make it longer!)

When she did speak; she spoke one word. And she said it in a tone that sent shivers up Duke's back.

"Intruder."

**O.o Spookith! That was fun. If you can't tell, I have way to much fun in the boldededededededededededed part and I like to make up words and I like writing short chapters!**

**-Kriss**


	9. Injury

Chapter Nine – Injury

**Well, here's another chapter for you. I can't believe that it's already at chapter nine and I'm not into the real plot yet, or the humor, though there is a little so I guess I'm good in some points. Don't worry, I know that the start is a little slow, but it'll speed up once the 'big thing' happens. Can't tell you!**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Nine – Injury**

"Intruder?" Duke asked.

"Yeah, thankfully it's not mom, so I'm safe," Kriss announced.

"Good, you scared me for a minute. Wait… If it's not mom, than who is it?" He asked.

"I dunno, some person I don't know, nor Thorn," Kriss answered.

"That may or may not be a good thing…" Duke then noticed that there was a note taped to the door. He snatched it off and read it. He then glanced at his watch and leaned against the door, "Shit…"

"What?" Kriss asked.

"Dixie."

"Who's Dixie? Your girlfriend?" Kriss sneered.

"No!" Duke shot back.

"Sure…" Kriss said, unconvinced.

"She thinks she is, but she's not!" Duke told her.

"Oh," She responded.

"C'mon, I'll order a pizza…" Duke said, changing the subject.

"Okay!" Kriss said, perking up instantly.

They went up and Kriss sat on the couch while Duke was on the phone. Then she thought of something that needed to be asked.

"Does mom still look 17?" She asked when Duke finished ordering the pizza.

"Yeah, it's weird," Duke said uncomfortably.

"Do you know why?" Kriss asked.

"No," Duke answered, but Kriss wasn't convinced. She shot him a look and he gave in, "Yes, I know. She cursed herself."

"Why the hell would she do that?" Kriss asked.

"She cursed your dad too, she wants him back…" Duke explained, "She needed to punish him for leaving when you were born, so she cursed him. He and his family would stay their age until he loved you as much as he had loved her. But since she wanted him back she needed to stay the same age too."

"Oh, that's dumb…" Kriss concluded.

Then Duke noticed that there was something on her sweatshirt.

"Kriss! You're bleeding!" He said.

Kriss looked at him, then started checking herself, "Where?"

"On your arm," Kriss lifted it and sure enough, there was a red spot where the blood had seeped out of her wound.

"Oh, would you look at that?" Kriss said, "I'll live."

"How'd you get it?" Duke asked suspiciously.

"Probably from earlier, I thought that the knife kept missing me, guess not," Kriss told him.

"Knife?" Duke said, shocked.

Kriss nodded, "Street punks. One pulled a knife, but he needed serious practice!" Kris laughed.

"You fought someone with a knife?"

"Yeah, but I have it now," Kriss said, pulling out the retractable knife from her boot.

"You amaze me," he said, "But either way, that needs to be taken care of!" Duke concluded. He pulled her from the couch and walked her over the counter.

"Oh please! It's nothing!" Kriss whined.

"Stop acting so though! It's still bleeding!" Duke scolded.

"You think I'm acting? I didn't even know I had a cut!" Kriss said.

"Either way," Duke said, picking her up and setting her on the counter, "Wait here."

Kriss rolled her eyes as Duke went to get stuff from the bathroom.

There was a beep. Kriss looked over at the speaker on the wall.

"Your speaker thingy's beeping," Kriss yelled at Duke.

"Crap." Kriss heard him say.

"Why? Is that bad?" Duke walked back in, carrying a bottle of peroxide and some gauze.

"Yes, right now it is," Duke said, he than pushed down on the little white button on the speaker, "Yeah?"

"Well, Duke? Can I come up?" said a whiney and annoying voice.

"Yeah…" Duke said reluctantly.

He leaned against the wall and massaged his temples.

"Am I gonna have to stay on this counter all day?" Kriss asked impatiently.

"If you don't be quiet then yes!" Duke shot back.

Kriss looked shocked. Then her expression changed to light anger. If she at that moment a dog, her ears would be pinned back in anger.

"You have a shirt on under that right?" Duke asked her.

"Yeah," Kriss answered, taking off her sweatshirt and revealing a black sleeveless.

Then there was a knock on the door. Kriss had folded her sweatshirt and was closing examining her wound. Duke went and answered the door.

"Hiya!" Dixie greeted.

"………….Hi……" Duke responded.

"Oh c'mon! Don't be so shy!" Dixie said, throwing her arms around him.

There was a thud. Duke looked over to see Kriss on the floor laughing.

"That was great! Replay! Replay!" Kriss said in between laughs.

"Can it Kriss!" Duke yelled at her.

"Who's this?" Dixie said, narrowing her eyes.

"Huh?" Kriss said, looking up.

"Get up before you get blood on my carpet!" Duke scolded.

"Alright, alright," Kriss snapped hauling herself on the counter again.

"Why? What happened?" Dixie asked, anger gone.

"She got cut with a knife…" Duke explained.

"A knife?" Dixie gasped, horrified.

"Yeah, sharp pointy things, hurt like hell if you know that you got sliced by one," Kriss further explained.

"I know what a knife is, but, how did you cut yourself?" Dixie asked.

"I didn't cut myself, some stupid street punk did!" Kriss yelled.

"Enough! I have to take care of that now…" Duke said, walking over to the counter. He grabbed the bottle of peroxide and took a cotton ball and dumped some on it. He smeared it over the big gash in Kriss's arm and white bubbles started erupting from it.

"Duke, I think that it may need to be stitched…" Dixie said.

"Know how?" Kriss asked her, looking up from the white bubbles.

"Yeah, I keep a miniature in my purse in case I rip a sleeve or something, why?" Dixie asked.

Kriss smirked, "You _are_ dumb."

Duke glared at her, "Be nice."

Dixie looked horrified, "Oh no! I couldn't! Not _skin! _I could never. Wouldn't it hurt?" She asked after she'd calmed down from the initial shock.

"I got this cut this morning, I didn't know it was there 'till Duke saw it, trust me, I won't feel a thing," Kriss reassured her.

"Well….. okay….." Dixie said, getting the sewing kit out of her purse.

"This ought a be good," Kriss whispered to her brother.

"Give her a break," He whispered back.

"What color?" Dixie asked.

"I don't care, black," Kriss responded.

"Okay," Dixie walked over to the counter with the needle in her hand. She took a deep breath and started leaning towards the gash.

Kriss winced as the needle went through her flesh the first time. Other than the initial insertion, the pain was bearable and after awhile, almost non-existent.

"Oh my God!" said Dixie after a while.

"What?" said Kriss and Duke in unison.

"More blood just came out!" Dixie whined, turning away and covering her mouth.

Kriss looked down at her wound, "Oh my gosh, are you kidding me?" Kriss looked at Dixie, "That's nothing!" she scoffed, "Girls….."

"Excuse me? You're a girl too you know!" Dixie screeched at her.

"Not a girly girl!" Kriss shot back.

"She has a point there…" Duke observed.

"Nevermind! Either way, blood is gross, I won't do it anymore! No!" Dixie went over and sat on the couch, only to be greeted by Thorn, who was happily asleep and not too keen on being sat on.

"Whoa!" Dixie glanced over at Kriss, "Yours I presume?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess!" Kriss grinned dumbly.

"Uh huh," Dixie responded.

"So what are we supposed to do about the gash here? It's only half shut!" Duke exclaimed.

"I'll do it, since the little princess over there is too squeamish!" Kriss retorted.

"Humph!" Dixie said, sticking her shnoze in the air.

Duke rolled his eyes.

Kriss then grabbed the needle and starting completing the sewing job.

"You didn't value your craft, did you?" Kriss asked, as she looked at the crooked stitching job.

"What makes you say that?" Dixie asked.

"Do you even know what that means?" Duke asked.

"Yes! No…" She admitted.

Kriss chuckled.

**Well there you go! CHAPTER NINE! That was I bit more entertaining, what do you think? I just now realized that Duke had ordered pizza. Bad delivery service I suppose! XDDD**


	10. I Had a Job?

Chapter Ten – I Had a Job?

**WOOHOO! Chapter ten! Wow, this is now my longest story on FF! My, don't I feel special? Why yes I do, thank you for asking.**

**Chapter Ten – I Had a Job?**

"So now what?" Kriss asked, finally sealing shut the slice in her arm.

"I want to sleep," Duke announced, flopping on the couch.

Kriss made some very lovely facial expressions and jumped down from the counter.

"That sounds like fun," Kriss stated.

"No it doesn't," Dixie chimed.

Kriss rolled her eyes.

"Sarcasm!" Kriss said in an annoyed tone.

"Oh…" Said Dixie dumbly.

Kriss rolled her eyes again.

"You know Dixie, it's getting late, are you gonna stick around for the night?" Duke asked, ignoring Kriss in the background waving her arms and glaring at him from behind Dixie.

"No, I don't think _she_ wants me to," Dixie shot a glare at Kriss who stopped the waving immediately, and put them on her hips.

"Damn right I don't!" Kriss snapped.

"Kriss!" Duke yelled.

"What?" Kriss said, giving the palms up.

Now it was time for Duke to roll his eyes.

"Don't you have Sequence?" Kriss asked mischievously.

"Uh yeah, why?" Duke asked.

Kriss grinned, "I know how we can settle this."

"Got any aces?" Dixie asked.

"No, and this isn't go fish Dixie…" Kriss growled.

"Well you already told me that you didn't have any aces, so I play this!" Dixie said, slapping down the king of diamonds.

"Too bad I lied," Kriss told her, playing the ace of diamonds.

"Shit!" Dixie glared at Kriss who grinned innocently.

"Stop being sneaky, god, this is getting annoying," Duke announced.

"Oh c'mon, you're just jealous because you know I'm gonna win!" Kriss said.

"Yeah, sure," Duke said.

Kriss rolled her eyes.

"Who says you're gonna win?" Dixie asked.

"I've never lost," Kriss bragged.

"There's a first time for everything…" Duke exasperated.

Kriss rolled her eyes again, then played the ten of hearts, "Told ya I'd win!" She announced.

"You didn't win!" Dixie blurted.

"Check again princess," Kriss told her, putting down the cards in her hand.

Duke pointed to the chips, "Right there…" He said.

"Actually I didn't see that one, I was looking more there," Kriss said, pointing to another set of five chips that used one of the same chips.

"Damn! You won in two places!" Dixie screamed.

Kriss smirked.

"Leave."

"Why should I?" Dixie asked.

"That was the deal!" Kriss exclaimed.

"No it wasn't!" Dixie argued.

"Yes it was!"

"No it wasn't!"

"Yes it was!" Kriss and Duke shouted at the same time.

Dixie looked taken aback.

"Fine." And she got up.

Kriss snickered, "I love this game."

Duke glared at her.

"Yeah, yeah, we get the point," he said.

Dixie got her stuff and stopped at the door, "See you some other time Duke, when _she's_ not here," She huffed.

"I can hear you ya know, and I'm the only other girl here," Kriss said.

"We never would have guessed," Dixie said darkly.

Kriss looked around, "Thank you, I appreciate the compliment."

Dixie rolled her eyes and left.

"Finally," Said Kriss, "I though she was gonna stay here forever!"

Duke rolled his eyes.

"So…..now what?" Kriss asked her brother.

"I don't know; I'm just glad she's gone!" Duke said, flopping on the couch once again.

"Hmmm," Said Kriss. She snatched her sweatshirt off the counter and something fell out.

"What was that?" Duke asked, not moving from where he was on the couch.

"I dunno," Kriss picked it up, "A key."

"Why do you have a key, and whose is it?" Duke asked.

"Who knows?" Kriss said, setting the key on the counter.

"You scare me."

"Thank you!"

Then Thorn stormed ever to Kriss and stomped on her foot.

"Ouch! Goddammit!" Cursed Kriss as she hopped around on one foot, "What the hell was that for?"

Thorn growled in a weird way.

Kriss turned pale, "I had a job?"

Thorn nodded cutely.

"Crap…."

"What?" Duke asked, sitting up now.

"I forgot that I have to take care of Jayvee…" Kriss explained.

"Who's Jayvee?"

"Rex's cat…"

"You know the regionals runner-up?" Duke exclaimed.

"Yeeeeeeah…… why?" Kriss asked.

"HOW!" Duke yelled.

"Um…… um……. I dunno, but I told him I'd take care of his cat and then I forgot because I'm not used to having responsibilities, other than to myself…" Kriss said.

"Niiiiiice" Duke responded.

"Thank you! I'll be back later, it won't take that long to feed a cat now will it?" Kriss asked.

"You'd be surprised," Duke said, getting up.

"No I wouldn't."

"Nevermind…"

**There! That was my hot chapter of DOOOOOOOOOOM XDDDDDDDDD And some of you are wondering why I made Rex have a cat and that's because well, he has one! He said so himself! In one of the eps he said that Joey had more lives than his cat. So my friend and I looked on google and found him a cat! If you want to see what it looks like check my profile, i will be posting it there.**

**-Kriss**

**P.S. Please RR!**


	11. Regresan

Chapter Eleven –Regresan (They Return)

**Sorry it took me so long to update, my two loyal fans. I've finally installed ZT2 and I've been waiting since like Christmas to play it, so I was like really excited. So I've playing around with that, plus, I had no plot ideas . **

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Eleven – Regresan (They Return)**

Two Days Later

Kriss walked to Rex's apartment; now very responsible of her duties after forgetting the first time. Jayvee was actually mad at her and still is. Never get on the wrong side of a cat.

Kriss went up the usual flights of steps and took the key out of her pocket. She inserted it and opened the door very quietly. If Jayvee heard her than he would constantly follow her around and trip her until she left.

The very first thing that Kriss noticed after she shut the door when Thorn came through was that there was a bag in the hallway.

_'I though he'd be gone a week…'_ Kriss thought, confused. "Rex?" she called.

The bedroom door to her left opened and Rex stepped out, Jayvee at his hells.

"Hey Kriss," He said.

"I thought you'd be getting back in a few days more," Kriss told him.

"Oh, uh, yeah, that…. Uh….. About the tournament," Rex stuttered.

"Yeah?" Kriss asked, waiting for Rex to think of the right words.

"I uh," He looked at Jayvee who was at his feet, "How'd it go with Jayvee?" He asked, changing the subject completely.

Kriss narrowed her eyes. Jayvee arched up and hissed at Kriss.

"Rawr to you too!" Kriss yelled at the cat.

Rex raised an eyebrow.

"Like that."

"I see that," Rex responded.

Thorn walked up to Jayvee and glared at him, while standing in between him and Kriss.

"What happened?" Rex asked.

"I forgot the first night and he's been mad at me ever since," Kriss explained.

"Oh, yeah, you can't do that," Rex said.

"I noticed." She growled tonelessly.

Rex gave a weak little laugh, than gave up and sighed instead.

"That cat needs to learn how to forgive," Kriss said, after Rex did all that junk.

"I know……. He takes after me….." Rex said.

"No he doesn't, you're nicer," Kriss said, glaring at Jayvee who returned the cold stare.

"Thanks," He smiled at his friend, then he noticed that he still had his bag out in the hall, "Oh, I have to finish unpacking…" he stated.

"That's cool, I'll go back to my bro's," Kriss said.

"You have a brother?" Rex asked.

"Apparently."

"Odd….. So this guy just showed up? Randomly?" Rex asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Kriss agreed, "We're trying to work things out, and it's not working."

"Why not?"

"He has this annoying friend named Dixie, girly girl."

"And that's bad?"

"No Rex, it's good!"

"You know, you could learn a lot from her."

"Oh please, she's as stupid as a brick."

"My, how nice you are."

"Thank you! I practice!"

"Really?"

"No."

Rex went over to his lonely bag in the hallway and carried it over to the couch with him.

"So. That was weird," Rex stated.

"Yeah, I'll go now," Kriss said as she went over to the door.

"Okay, see you later then," Rex shrugged.

Kriss and Thorn walked out the door and went down the stairs. Luckily, Jayvee didn't interfere, so the trip to the front door was nice and safe.

"You know Thorn? Rex isn't that bad when you get to know him, I guess that's the hard part," Kriss told the canine.

Thorn kept his eyes looking ahead. Kriss noticed this.

"What's up pal?" She asked, concern in her voice.

Thorn shook his head.

"Fine, if you don't wanna talk about it, that's fine with me," Kriss shrugged.

While walking back, Thorn suddenly acted very weird and ran down the street that led to the alley.

"Where are ya goin'?" Kriss asked, chasing after him.

Thorn rounded the corner and snarled ferociously.

Those stupid street punks were back.

Kriss caught up and saw them immediately. She smirked. If they wanted their asses kicked again, that was fine with her.

"Hey! There she is!" One of them pointed.

"Get her!" another shouted.

Kriss changed her mind about the ass-kicking and turned and ran, her guitar glinting in the twilight sun. Thorn was right there by her side.

They flew around the corner and sped down the street. Not long after the chase had started, the punks were right behind her! _'What the hell? Since when were they so fast!'_ Kriss thought, a little impressed by their sudden improvement. She shot a glance at Thorn who returned it with confusion.

They continued bolting down the street with the punks on their tails. After a few blocks they started to slow down. Kriss smirked; she knew they wouldn't last long. But the thing was, she could see that they were plotting back there. They were talking with all the breath that they could spare. Kriss quit watching as they were catching up more 'cause she was looking backwards.

Kriss slowed down too, just so she could see what they were up to. Suddenly with a burst of speed they caught up to she and the big one soared through the air in a tackle.

He landed on her with a thud.

"SHIT!" Kriss screamed, flailing her arms in a bleak attempt to get him off. It also just so happened that they caught her when they were right in front of Duke's game shop! WOW! How convenient!

Kriss curved her fingers and slashed the air, making contact with the punk's arm, tearing through his sleeve, and ripping his flesh.

She then took the time off when he was howling in pain, drawing looks from the few houses that were near, to kick him off. Kriss sat up and witnessed the damage that she had caused. Four parallel, three inch gashes running down his forearm bore proof that Kriss had no further need for growing her nails.

The other two goons just gawked as who they thought was their leader writher in pain and blood flowed from his arm. Kriss was just staring in disbelief of what she had done. She looked at Thorn, who also wore the same expression, and smirked. She got to her feet, chuckling to herself.

"I guess I shouldn't be underestimated huh?" She asked smugly.

"No way! He can still tear you apart!" She heard the one behind her say.

She took a deep breath and spun around in a complete circle, 'claws' out but she knew the length, even from that one experience, and kept them a centimeter back. The result was that they passed right in front of his nose. He yelped and scooted back, very scared now.

She smirked again.

"Now, I'd appreciate it gentlemen, if you would kindly leave me alone, that's your last warning," Kriss threatened darkly.

The one with the slash mark took that opportunity to steal her spin move and knock her clean off her feet.

"Holy shit!" Kriss said, as she fell back onto the cold pavement.

The kid got up and was about to kick her in the side, but she was already up.

"Asshole." She growled.

He took his hand off of his precious arm for a second to punch her in the face. Kriss was completely unprepared and didn't think that he would take the most obvious way out. The punch shocked her, as it was pretty hard. It had made a direct impact on her nose and blood immediately greeted his knuckles. Kriss was momentarily stunned, but it was enough time for her to fulfill another appointment with the ground.

Her nerves were having a hard time reacting as she tried to get up before he could strike again. Unfortunately, they move fast enough. All of her speed, all of her skills were shattered in one blow, Kriss couldn't believe it. She had to give him at least _some_ credit now.

He grunted as his foot now made contact with her ribcage. There would have been a lot more damage if not for Thorn. He stopped the other two from helping their friend. Thorn was snarling and snapping at the two teenagers. They were frightened of him, but thought that he could be brought down as easily as his friend. But fortunately for Thorn, they weren't fast enough.

Kriss thought that her brain would explode as pain erupted in her skull. The fist made a sound against her head that sounded to Kriss as if it had shattered within itself. Blood leaked slowly from the cut that his ring had made on her head as backed off to check his wounds; thinking that she was through.

But she wasn't.

After thirty seconds of recovery, Kriss' eyes opened; awakened by the short rest. Her eyes were ablaze as she shakily stood. The street punk looked at her in disbelief. He had her down. She was just a girl. She couldn't still be raring to go! There was no possible way!

"No way…" He said softly to himself.

Although it was greatly decreased, Kriss still heard it and responded with a glare. Her sight was also fuzzy, but she could manage, she beat him up once before, why not again?

A pair of headlights, along with blue and red flashing lights illuminated the scene. Deep within herself, Kriss was grateful, but not much. She knew that she could get a rest in jail until she was ready to get out again.

The blue and white stopped and a cop stepped out.

"What's been going on here?" He asked.

"A fight! What's it look like?" Kriss yelled at him.

He pulled down his shades and looked over them. The cop stared at the girl that stood before him. One word came to his head; tomboy.

"I'm not stupid you know!" He told her, "I think you four better come down to the station right now."

Thorn growled to tell him that he wasn't going back.

"You too!" The uniform pointed, he then reached into his car and radioed for back-up. He had the teens sit on the ground while the other squad cars came. He needed to make sure that, a; they didn't run away and b; they got some medical attention.

This lasted for about ten minutes. Then two more pulled up and the cops inside got out.

"What this time? Whoa!" He exclaimed as he spotted the wounds.

"Miss Sanchez," The other smirked, looking in Kriss' direction.

The three boys _and_ Kriss spun around immediately.

"What? Where?" Kriss yelled, looking back.

"I'm talking about _you_ girl!" The officer laughed.

"If my name is Sanchez, than I'm screwed," Kriss replied.

"Watch your language!" The cop yelled.

"Yeah, yeah," Kriss responded.

Then the door to the shop opened and Duke came out; he was in his normal clothes.

"Kriss! What did you do now!" He yelled, running up to her.

"You her guardian?" The cop asked.

"No, she doesn't _have_ a guardian," Duke said.

"I didn't do it," Kriss said, looking away, Thorn still watching Duke.

"Well, where's she living?" The first one asked.

"With me, but it's only been a few days!" Duke exasperated.

"So you're considered her guardian; you family?" He proceeded.

"Yeah, half brother," Duke answered.

"Okay, you might want to come to the station with us then," he suggested.

"Okay," Duke said, as he glared at Kriss, who still avoided his look.

At the Police Station

Kriss sat in the part of the station set up for treating cuts and other minor wounds. She had already refused to take any pain killers, or to be put under any sort of sleeping medicine. The nurse kept looking at her funny; but didn't say anything.

The statements had already been made and now she was just waiting for Duke to finish the paperwork that would set her free. Even though Kriss could treat her wounds herself, she had nothing better to do and let the nurse do it for her.

A little while later, she was all done; finally there was no more blood coming from her head and going into her eyes, obscuring her vision. She hopped down from the counter and walked out of the word, leaving the nurse in shock that she didn't utter a sound. Almost all of her wounds, except her nose and various other cuts, needed to be stitched. But Kriss had lost most of her feelings as she was still smarting from that blow to the head and hardly felt a thing.

She wasn't alone in the hall for long.

"You are possibly the _dumbest _person I have ever met!" An angry voice flooded the hallway. Kriss turned to see Duke.

The nurse peeked out and watched; intrigued.

"Even dumber than Dixie?" Kriss asked.

"Don't get smart with me!" Duke huffed.

"Don't waste your energy," Kriss said coolly, turning and walking away.

"I'm not wasting my _time_ on you, I'm wasting my _life!_" Duke said.

Down the hall, Kriss stopped; maybe something worthwhile _would_ pop up.

"I never should have gotten in the middle of this thing that's going on between you and mom!" Duke said, "That was the dumbest thing I have ever done!"

"I thought that _I_ did the dumbest thing you ever saw?" Kriss asked smugly.

"Don't fuck with me!" Duke yelled.

Kriss looked shocked. This wasn't her brother anymore. He'd been replaced by this… this…. Dude. She couldn't quite find the right words, but she kinda liked him better. The other Duke was too docile.

"I'm not," Kriss taunted, what was this New Duke capable of? She was gonna find out.

"Stop messing with me!" Duke shouted.

"Hey! I'm the one that got arrested! Not you!" Kriss told him.

"Well _I_ had to do the paper work so there!" Duke yelled back.

The nurse leaned against the wall, interested in these two. They were obviously siblings; they fought enough to prove that.

"Well, well! Grr! I am capable of kicking your ass, so _you better not piss me off!_" Kriss threatened.

"I'm sick of your empty threats!" Duke shook his head, as though ridding himself of the thought.

"Empty? _Empty?_ Did you not see what I did to those punks?" Kriss asked in disbelief.

"Did you see what they did to _you?_" Duke asked back, calming down.

"Like it matters," Kriss scoffed.

"It _does_ matter! If you wanna stay with me, you've _got_ to _stop_ getting into all of these fights!" Duke said.

"Yeah, yeah. Did you bust Thorn out?" Kriss asked.

"Not yet," Duke answered.

"You _idiot!_" Kriss yelled at him.

"How am _I_ the idiot?"

"You left him in the pound?"

"Uh, yeah."

"You have the most minuscule brain of _anyone_ I have ever met!"

"Even more small than Dixie?"

"Don't get smart with me!"

"Ah, so the roles have reversed!"

Duke laughed softly.

"You stand there laughing and they could be destroying Thorn right now!"

"What do you mean?"

"They've been after him for _years!_ They aren't just gonna let him live for three days ya know?"

"Really?"

"YES!"

"Oh, crap, let's go then!"

Kriss and Duke ran down the hallway, the whole time dodging the other members of the precinct. The nurse just shook her head and retreated to her office.

**Well, that was loooooooooooong! XDDD that was fun. So, I've like, really got to move it along so I'm gonna skip them getting Thorn out and it'll start out at a different time, maybe the next day or something I dunno, I need plot ideas X.x**


	12. Who The Hell is Marik?

**Chapter Twelve- Who The Hell is Marik?**

**I'm feeling lazy so I'm gonna skip the ****Duel****City**** Tournament, but in summary, I meet Kaiba and get made fun of for being in Joey's words, "Dino-Brain's Girlfriend" so we're like mortal enemies. And I'm happy because my dad let me open the cheese popcorn even though I have braces! ) If this isn't supposed to be chapter twelve than RaDammit, there's going to be two chapter 12's jeez…**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last.**

**Chapter Twelve – Who The Hell is Marik?**

"What is it between you and Wheeler?" Kriss asked her friend.

The two companions, (NOT lovers) had just returned from the Duel City Tournament and they were both pretty worn out. The finals were still going on and so Duke was with his friends, and Kriss came back to Domino because she didn't get along with Duke's friends, but than again, she doesn't really get along with anybody so I guess we're good.

"He stole my Red Eyes!" Rex argued.

"Really? Like how? He's too dumb to steal anything from you…" Kriss said.

"I uh….. Well, I bet him that card… and….uh… he won," Rex finished.

"That's not stealing, Rex" Kriss told him, "That's bad judgment on your part…"

"Well I-" Rex was cut off by the phone ringing. Rex looked at it than walked over and glanced at the caller ID, "Do you know a 931-8624?" He asked her.

"Um, yeah, that's Duke's cell phone…" Kriss said.

"Oh, how'd he get my number?" He glared at her.

"Don't look at me! _I _don't even know you're number!" Kriss exasperated.

Rex raised his eyebrow, "Really?"

Kriss nodded. The phone was still ringing, "Do you want me to get that?"

"Be my guest," Rex gestured towards the telephone, (WOW! I was NOT lazy that time! XDDD)

"I _am_ you guest," Kriss said, walking past him and grabbing the phone off of the receiver.

"Yo," Kriss greeted.

"Niiiiiiiiiiiice," Rex said sitting on the couch.

"Hey, Kriss, I knew you'd be there," Duke said on the other side.

"Yeah, how'd you get Rex's number?" Kriss asked.

"Information," Duke explained.

"Ah, so, what do you want?" Kriss asked.

"You're so nice."

"Thanks, I thought so."

"Yeah, so, I think I know who your dad is."

"Really? How?"

"Because he has hair similar to yours and you guys both have a bad attitude."

"Oh, goo- HEY!" Kriss shouted into the phone.

Duke chuckled on the other line.

"That wasn't funny!"

"Just making sure you were listening."

"Why wouldn't I be listening? It involves me!"

"That's true."

"So what else did you find out?"

"His name, which is by the way, Marik."

"Who the Hell is Marik?"

"You'll find out sooner or later knowing you…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Good, how did you know, other than the looks and personality?"

"His sister told us about him and herself."

"Ooooh, I have an Aunt!"

"Yeah."

"What's her name?"

"Ishizu."

"That's a weird name…"

"Be nice."

"Fine…"

"I've got to go, the next duel is about to start."

"Kaydokes."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Nevermind."

Duke hung up, or got cut off or something. Kriss looked at the phone in her hand.

"That was weird," she muttered, putting it back on the receiver.

"What was?" Rex asked from the couch.

"It just kinda died… well Duke's cell phone did," Kriss sighed, "Oh well."

"So what was that all about?" Rex asked as Kriss walked over and joined him on the couch.

"Duke found out who my dad was."

"That's good isn't it?"

"Oh, yeah."

Later (Again, I'm being lazy)

Kriss dialed back Duke and waited for him to pick it up. It rang twice and the third was cut off by him answering it.

"Hello?"

"Hey!"

"Hey Kriss, what is it?"

"What else do you know about him?"

"Well, he's from Egypt and moved here not that long ago with his family. He also is the leader of a bad group that goes around stealing cards. And souls."

"Souls!"

"Yeah, believe it or not, he sends souls to the shadow realm."

"How?"

"With something called the Millennium Rod, but he also uses it to take over peoples' minds."

"Mind control?"

"Yeah, watch out for him, he's pretty dangerous."

"Well, that just makes two of us." Kriss grinned evilly.

"Hey, when you do find him, be careful."

"What's 'careful' mean?" Kriss smirked.

"I'm not joking Kriss," Duke's voice was stern.

"I am."

"I know, that's why I'm not."

"So, anything else of necessity?"

"Not really."

"Okay then, talk to ya later then."

They hung up.

"Well at least he didn't die that time…." Kriss said.

"What do you mean 'die'?" Rex asked from the kitchen.

"Well last time his cell phone died remember?" Kriss told him.

"Oh yeah," Rex emerged; Jayvee was taken care of.

(Hold on, I HAVE to state this Emerge – E MERGE! Okay anywas)

Rex then flopped on the couch on turned on the news.

"Breaking news! Dennis DeYoung may have been found! The legend of rock and roll and the best guitar player to have hit the record stores may be located!"

(I know I know, that's like so not true, but it's different here, I said so, it was in my first disclaimer on chapter one)

Kriss flew over to the couch.

"What?"

Rex looked at her, confused out of his mind. He had heard of this legendary guitar player/songwriter who was the best so far. No one had been able to out do Dennis for years. He had mysteriously disappeared four years ago and no one had seen him since.

"They didn't find him," Kriss concluded.

"How do you know?" Rex asked.

"Because he doesn't _want _to be found!" Kriss told him.

Rex studied her, "And you would know this _how?_"

Kriss stared blankly, "Uh… I…..uh… know...him…?"

"You're starting to scare me…" Rex said, shifting his attention back to the television.

"I hope all people don't think that way…" Kriss said.

"It would explain why you don't have any friends…" Rex said.

"HEY! I do too have a friend other than you!" Kriss said defensively.

"Other than Thorn too?" Rex said, looking blankly at her.

"No, not really…" Kriss admitted, looking at Thorn who whined sympathetically.

"But I don't need any friends!" Kriss told him.

"That hurt," Rex tonelessly stated.

Kriss grinned, "Sorry, I'm not used to being nice yet," She apologized.

"I noticed," Rex said.

"Yeah…"

Two Days Later (I NEEEEEED to speed this up)

Kriss sighed as she walked up the steps. This was it. The meeting. (Yes, Marik has a house, I said so) _'This is probably going to be disastorous…'_ Kriss though. From what Duke had told her, her dad was just like her so more than likely there was going to be a lot of fighting. Kriss raised her fist and knocked three times on the door.

**I love cliffhangers! The next Chapter is going to be hilarious trust me! **

**-Kriss**

**PS PLEASE R&R! oh and Bri, and dude whose name I'm too lazy to copy paste because I can't even pronounce it, please tell other people about this, so far you two are the only one's who've reviewed…**


	13. One Dysfunctional Family

Chapter Thirteen – One Dysfunctional Family

**Here it is! The long anticipated meeting! This is going to be really funny and there's going to be a lot of fighting in it, trust me, you'll like it!**

**Chapter Thirteen – One Dysfunctional Family**

The door opened. (O.o SMALL!) (THERE WE GO! Okay proceeding, don't blame me; they gave me Mountain Dew in Choir, why? Who knows…) A dark skinned bald man opened it. Kriss cringed.

"Marik Ishtar?" She asked, dreading the answer.

"……..no." Said the man.

"Oh thank God! Is he here and can I speak with him please?" Kriss asked, relieved that this wasn't her father.

"Uh, sure?" he said, leaving.

Kriss waited outside. She was kinda nervous but more relieved that her search was over. She had no clue who that was but she didn't really care.

While she was waiting, someone else passed by the door. It was a woman who also had darker skin, but about as dark as Kriss's and she noticed Kriss waiting there at the door.

"Hi, who are you?" She asked politely.

"Uh, Kriss," She responded.

"I'm Ishizu" she greeted.

"Yeah, I know, I saw you in the paper in an article about and opening exhibit," Kriss said dully.

"You read the paper?" Ishizu asked with mild surprise.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Kriss asked back.

"It's kind of uncommon for kids to read the newspaper…" Ishizu said.

"Oh, I have a lot of free time," Kriss responded.

"Do you want to come in?" Ishizu asked.

"Sure," Kriss said.

She stepped in and looked around. It was a pretty decent sized house. It looked like it was custom built, probably bought by Ishizu and her family from what she knew of how long they'd been here.

"So who are you here to see?" Ishizu asked.

"Marik Ishtar," Kriss responded, still gazing around the house.

"Oh, what do you want with my brother?" She asked.

"Uh… family… matters?" Kriss tried.

"Family matters?" Ishizu asked, "Wait a minute…" Ishizu studied the young girl before her. The hair, and the guitar, dead giveaway, "Are you… Marik's _kid?"_ She asked in disbelief.

"I think so," Kriss responded.

"Whoa… Marik's not gonna be happy about this…" Ishizu said.

"Why not?" Kriss asked.

"Well, he's been trying to get out of the curse the hard way!" Ishizu explained.

"Is it working," Kriss asked.

"No."

"I didn't think so."

Then another person stormed in the room. He had blondish white-ish hair that stuck up at the bangs and was wearing a white sleeveless hooded shirt and jeans.

"What the Hell do you want?" he screamed at her.

"What a nice greeting," Kriss said coolly.

"Marik!" Ishizu chastised.

"What? It's not like she cared," Marik argued.

"He has a point there," Kriss cut in.

"See?" Marik gestured towards Kriss, "Listen to the kid!"

"You don't even know who I am!" Kriss shouted.

"That's true, who are you again?" Marik asked Kriss.

"Your daughter," Ishizu stated tonelessly.

"No, for real," Marik laughed.

Kriss and Ishizu looked at each other, than back at him.

Then the reality hit him. A brick of pain it was. "Holy shit, you're not kidding?" he looked thunderstruck.

"Nope! Congratulations! It's a girl!" Kriss said, holding her hand out to him.

Marik's eyes narrowed.

"I didn't want you 13 years ago and I don't want you now," he growled, waking away.

"Marik!" Ishizu called after him, "She's been waiting all this time to meet you and you're just gonna walk away like that?" Ishizu yelled.

"Yes," Marik said without stopping.

"I can help you break the curse you know!" Kriss called.

Marik stopped.

"I know, but I'll find a way by myself," He snapped.

"No! You have to let me help!" Kriss yelled.

"Why?"

"So I have a reason to kill my mom!" Kriss desperately cried.

"Wait, kill?" Marik looked at her.

"Why would you want to kill your mom?" Ishizu asked, looking at Kriss.

"Because she's an evil deranged bitch whose only purpose in life is to enslave me and make me miserable and then stalk me and try to kill me so she can live with you forever! She's evil I tell you! Evil!" Kriss breathed heavily.

Ishizu and Marik stared.

"And you aren't?" Marik asked, Ishizu elbowed him.

"Nope! I'm just a victim!" Kriss responded, "but I do admit that any fight that's started, I end it!"

"Is that why there's a scar on your cheek?" Marik asked, pointing at it.

Kriss felt her face, "Wow, I didn't even notice that…' She responded.

Marik shook his head suddenly, "No, no, no! You cannot stay here! And that's final!" Marik yelled, adding emphasis with his arms.

"Why not?" Kriss pressed.

"Because, uh… uh… there's no extra rooms!" He concluded.

"What about that one right up the stairs?" Ishizu asked, pointing to that shut door that was right there when you went up the stairs.

"No, it's got a code remember?" Marik reminded her.

While they continued fighting, Kriss walked up the stairs to investigate the door. It was a computer code. She smirked and got out her laptop. Kriss booted it up and a few moments later the door opened.

"But- whoa. How'd you do that?" Marik asked, gaping at the door.

Kriss shrugged and put her laptop away. She walked in the room and looked around. There was a bed and a beside table and all that jazz. There was another door though. She opened it and walked through. Kriss gasped as she realized that she was overlooking the kitchen; standing on some sort of indoor balcony.

A bathroom was off the room as well. There was also a computer table with a telephone line as well.

Marik glanced around the room, astounded. "Oh my Ra! That's what's in this room!" He stated.

"'Oh my Ra' I like that," Kriss smirked.

"You're still not staying here you know!" Marik reminded her.

"I don't see why she can't," Ishizu cut in.

"Yes!" Kriss said.

Marik glared at her. Kriss glared back.

"Well, I can see that you two have a lot of catching up to do!" Ishizu said, and without thinking she shut the door.

"Wait!" Marik yelled. Throwing himself at the door, but it was TOO LATE! It already locked him and Kriss in the room.

"Huh?" Kriss watched her "dad" claw at the door, trying to tear it down.

"What the Hell are you looking at! Help me!" He screamed at her.

Kriss shook her head, "Uh uh."

"What! WHY NOT!"

"You deserve it!" Kriss said, looking away.

"I deserve it- How do I deserve it?"

"You wanted to throw me back out on the street! You didn't even care that I've been waiting for ten years for you to come and save me!"

"Save you? From what?"

"The orphanage, from mom, quote on quote."

"Why would I need to save you from your own mother?" Marik asked, leaning against the door while Kriss sat on the bed.

"Because she enslaved me," Kriss said.

"Oh… You really _have_ been alone all your life huh?" Marik asked, softening his tone a little.

"Yeah."

"Don't you have any friends?"

"I have two."

"Just two? Who?"

"Thorn and Rex."

"Who and who?"

"Thorn is a wolf who've I've known his whole life and Rex Raptor? You've never heard of him? I thought he was kinda famous around here…"

"What's a wolf doing over here?"

"Like I know…"

"Hmmm……."

They both just sat there for awhile. Then Marik looked at the door again, as though it would open itself.

"You really want out of here don't you?" Kriss asked.

Marik nodded.

Kriss looked over at the computer at the desk. It was an okay model, one that Kriss knew how to work. She walked over, plopped into the chair and turned it on.

Marik looked at her, then realized something vital.

"HEY! THAT'S MY GUITAR!" he shouted.

"Yeah, I'd always wondered what the M.I. meant…" Responded Kriss, not taking her eyes away from the computer, "Whoa," She softly whispered.

"What?" asked Marik.

"This computer controls everything in the room! The locks, the lights, the heat, no wonder it's so cold in here…"

Marik looked at the ceiling, "I thought it seemed dark in here…"

"Yeah, me too," Kriss agreed. (OMR! THEY AGREED ON SOMETHING! FOR ONCE! That was fun)

Kriss did some tapping at the computer then hauled out her own and turned it on.

"Why do you need both?" Marik asked.

"So I can hack one with the other," Kriss explained.

"oh."

After while Marik heard a soft _click_ behind him; he spun around and opened the door. "YES!" he screamed as he flung himself out into the hallway.

"You really didn't like that did you?" Kriss heard Ishizu ask.

"YES!" Marik yelled.

"Really!"

"NO!"

Kriss chuckled.

"What the Hell are you laughing at!" Marik yelled at her.

"HEY! Be nice to your daughter!"

"That's his daughter?" Kriss heard a deep voice ask from downstairs.

"I'm laughing because that sound like something that I would say!" Kriss laughed, getting up and walking out the door.

Marik glared at her as she walked by. Then without thinking he swiped the guitar off of her back. Kriss narrowed her eyes and tried out her slash move again. Marik backed against the wall and held out the guitar.

"Thank you!" Kriss snapped as she snatched it out of his hand, "Don't try that again, that was just a warning, next time, they make contact!"

**Don't mess with the guitar! OH! And Erika and I found a picture that looks like Duke remembered the pizza he ordered three hours ago! It's hot! XDDD**

**-Kriss**

**PS: R&R!**


	14. More Dysfunction!

Chapter Fourteen – More Dysfunction

**Well, this is going to be fun, I would say 'in more then one way' but I'll spare you and I won't; so be happy. And in this story Marik's Yami is still there, he didn't leave like in the show; his Yami is cool! He sent mai to the shadow realm! D**

**Disclaimer – ditto on last**

**Chapter Fourteen – More Dysfunction**

"What do you do here for fun?" Kriss asked, sitting at the table staring at Marik who sat across from her.

"I dunno," Marik responded.

"I didn't expect you to…"

"Than why did you ask me?"

"I was just getting it out in the open; I wasn't _directing _it towards you however."

"That was cleverly thought of wasn't it?"

"Not really, no."

"Nevermind then."

"Love to."

"You two are driving me up the wall!" Ishizu shouted at them.

"Why?" Asked Kriss.

"You two are family-"

"You're family too," Marik and Kriss said in unison.

"You two are _more_ family, she's your own blood Marik! The least you could two could do is not fight!" Ishizu explooded.

"We're not fighting," Marik said.

Yeah," agreed Kriss, "We're arguing!"

"Same thing…" Ishizu said, walking away.

They're _still_ fighting?" Odion asked from the living room.

"No, they're arguing!" Ishizu snapped.

Kriss chuckled, so did Marik actually.

Then they both saw this and stopped immediately.

"I have to leave real quick anyways," Kriss announced, getting up.

"Where are you going?" Marik asked, spinning around as Kriss walked towards to door.

"Someplace away from you," Kriss snapped.

"Kriss!" Ishizu shouted.

"What?" Kriss asked.

Ishizu tsk-ed and shook her head.

"I have a feeling that life in this house is going to get a lot more hectic…" Odion stated.

"You're dumb," Kriss said, and before Ishizu could yell at her anymore she left.

Kriss sighed releif as she made her way backs towards Rex's apartment. She needed in ally in her new life, and she needed one soon.

Rex was watching TV like a couch potato when she walked though the door.

"Hey, you're back, how was it?" Rex asked, watching her storm though the doorway.

"Hectic, chaotic, hateful, uh… challenging; need I say more?" Kriss asked, stopping.

"You sound like a textbook…" Rex said.

"Gee, thanks…" Kriss said sarcastically.

"Uh sure," Rex said as she came over and sat next to him.

"Why him? He hates me!" Kriss bursted, she'd had it in her mind since the first encounter.

"You know, you're not that likable on first glance," Rex told her.

"Thanks, you're making me feel _loads_ better," Kriss scoffed.

"Uh… sure," Rex said blankly.

Thorn came over and laid his head on Kriss's knee.

"Don't worry, buddy, you'll get to meet him soon, though I doubt he'll like you either…" Kriss said, stroking his ears.

Thorn whined and walked over to the door. He scratched lightly and looked back at Kriss.

"No, not now," Kriss told him.

Thorn scratched again.

"No I said!"

Thorn walked back over and pushed Kriss's legs aside so she fell off the couch then went back over to the door, he growled this time.

"Too bad! You can cry all you want! I want more time away from him!" Kriss yelled, folding her arms across her chest.

Rex smirked, "You two are dorks!" he stated.

Thorn scratched again, a small chunk of wood followed his claws; detaching itself from the base of the door.

"Hey! Kriss just go! I want to have my door left!" Rex exclaimed.

"FINE! Seeings how you're all ganging up on me!" Kriss muttered to herself as she opened the door. Thorn bounded out and flew down the stairs; followed by Kriss. (They still hadn't discovered the elevator yet apparently)

They walked out the door when Kriss heard a whistle from above. She looked up to see Rex.

"Here you go," He said, as he threw something down at her.

Kriss caught it; it was a cell phone.

"Uh, thanks," Kriss called.

She then turned around and continued her trek, to her house, which really wasn't that far…. Would you call that a trek? No, I don't think you would, but I will anyways! She looked at Thorn who growled back.

"You know, you're awful moody today…" She said, Thorn pushed her over and ran.

"Hey!" Kriss got up and chased after him. Thorn followed Kriss's scent back the way she came so he could get there on his own. He slowed after a while to let her catch up.

"Brat," Kriss scoffed.

Thorn smirked.

They continued walking. When they got to the house Thorn looked at Kriss reassuringly.

"Go ahead; this was your idea…" Kriss glared at him as she walked past. Thorn smiled and trotted alongside her.

Kriss opened the door; Marik was still sitting at the table doing god who knows what. I think he was writing something down on paper, yeah, lets go with that.

Kriss tried to sneak up to her room, Thorn had other ideas. Kriss grabbed him by his bandana and pulled him back before he could meet her dad.

Thorn yelped. Marik spun around.

"Good going, loudmouth!" Kriss yelled at him.

"Who the hell is this?" Marik asked.

"Thorn!" Kriss told him, "Come on," She added, going up to her room.

"Thorn took a last glance at Marik and followed Kriss; he could explore later.

"I never said you could have a dog!" Marik yelled at the door; it opened immediately.

"Well then I guess he's not mine and he's not a dog!" Kriss shouted; then slammed the door again.

"Oh great," Marik muttered.

Later

Thorn and Kriss walked downstairs. They were going to explore the house; well ransack might be a better word. They went out the back door. The backyard might be a good place to start.

Marik was walking by (There's a lot of walking in this story…) as he was going by the back window he heard growling and barking.

"Huh?"

Marik knew that there was a Doberman that lived in the yard behind him but the other growling could only have its explanation in one place. Kriss discovered the dog, and Thorn didn't get along well with others.

He opened the door; but the scene that he saw didn't meet his imagination.

Thorn was there, but not Kriss. Instead there was another wolf; a huge, white wolf. Both were snarling and lunging at the fence, the Doberman barking and snapping back. The three raced back and forth. Then something caught Marik's eye. The white wolf had something around its neck.

Marik ran out to the backyard; he could see that the fence was ready to give in; it was old anyways. Just as the white wolf was lunging Marik caught it by the leather around his neck. It was the same thing that Kriss had!

Marik Ishtar glared at his 'daughter' across the table. His hand was bandaged heavily. He was breathing as though he had just run a marathon.

"Care to explain?" He asked.

"Not really," Came the reply.

"Start."

"How was I supposed that it was you?"

"Who else would it be?"

"The pound."

"Why didn't you respond when I called you?"

"Because when I'm the wolf it's different; I ignore anything else."

"That's not a smart thing to do."

"It's been working for six years, why stop now?"

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because I don't know," Kriss shrugged.

Marik crossed his arms.

"What?" Kriss asked.

"Where did I go wrong?" Marik asked, burying his face in his hands.

"Is that a trick question?" Kriss responded.

"Yes!"

"Thought so."

Kriss looked at Thorn who had the same clueless expression she did.

"Can I leave now?" Kriss asked tentatively.

"No!" Marik shouted.

"Why? I didn't do anything wrong!" Kriss argued.

"You're arguing with me…" Marik stated.

"I know that but I want to go to my room, I have to do some stuff on the computer!" Kriss told him.

"Like what? You don't go to school," Marik informed her.

"I know."

"I'm gonna change that," Marik said with a smirk.

"NO! I'm already graduated!" Kriss told him.

"How?"

"Online classes!"

"Well then, you're going to a high school then."

"Fuuuuun."

While Marik was making arrangements with that Kriss went upstairs with Thorn at her heels.

Kriss opened the door and flopped on her bed.

"There's nothing to do around here… It's starting to remind me of the alley… Speaking of which!" Kriss got an idea. She and Thorn could go check up on the alley. That'd be something to do.

Kriss told this to Thorn and he agreed. So again, they got up and left the house.

Going from her dad's house, it took Kriss a lot longer to get there. So for some variety Kriss changed into the big white wolf and trotted happily alongside of Thorn. Glacier was just happy to be away from the mad house.

When the pair got there, there was already someone waiting for them. It was a dog. A big dog. As Glacier and Thorn got closer they saw that it wasn't a dog at all. It was another wolf!

Glacier was mad. This was _their_ turf! He charged ahead with Thorn close behind. As they neared the white wolf turned and met them head on. The three clashed together and started fighting immediately. While Thorn pinned her down, Glacier rushed in for the finishing blow.

Then without warning, the she-wolf kicked Thorn off with her strong hind legs and leapt up on the dumpster and howled. Glacier looked at Thorn who also looked confused. Then out of nowhere another wolf, a black one this time, came running to meet them.

Glacier saw instantly that he had a collar on. Big the intriguing part about the collar was not that it was spiked and on a wolf, but, dangling off it was a white wolf tooth. _'Great, another one!'_ Glacier thought. It was similar to the necklace that he had. Thorn ran into a head on collision with the wolf. Both were stunned momentarily. Thorn was the first to recover.

Meanwhile, Glacier finished his battle with the white wolf. Black to black, white to white. He was just slashed with some sharp claws and was getting mad. Glacier darted around to make the sting in his neck go away. Then lunged quickly at her.

She foresaw this and jumped back to avoid a blow of Glacier's sharp canines. Glacier heard a jingling as this happened. He looked closely at her ankle and saw another wolf-tooth object. The bracelet. Glacier then immediately knew who it was. It was Carmen.

**Another cliffhanger! This is fun! I didn't realize that I would be revealing one of the many, many secrets but I guess so! Yay!**

**-Kriss**


	15. Taking Sides

**Chapter Fifteen – Taking Sides**

**WOW! I'm already on chapter fifteen? YAY! This is the longest story I have ever written, and it's also my best! YAY! –Is happy-**

**Chapter Fifteen – Taking Sides**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on Last**

Glacier stepped back. Carmen had seen that he had seen the bracelet. Glacier paused, but that was enough time for her to charge at him. Carmen made contact, creating a gash right above Glacier's right eye. Glacier yelped and sprang back. It didn't hurt; it just caught him by surprise.

Glacier heard an approaching vehicle and so did Carmen. She paused to see who it was and Glacier took that moment to make a swipe at her.

Carmen was fast, but not fast enough. Glacier's outstretched claws hooked onto her bracelet and with her combined action of leaping back and Glacier pulling his paw back; it came off, exposing her for what she really was. A seventeen year old girl.

The car was Duke's. He came just in time. He jumped from his car and ran to help his mom. Thorn was still wrestling with the black wolf and Glacier ran over to help.

"Thorn?" Duke asked. He ran over to investigate.

Glacier pulled to black wolf off of Thorn and was chasing him away when Duke greeted Thorn. Thorn licked his hand and went over to Glacier.

"Where's Kriss?" Duke asked Thorn.

Carmen pointed to Glacier.

"Well, I'm glad someone knows…" Glacier said sarcastically.

"Kriss?" Duke asked in disbelief.

"The one and only," Said Glacier, changing back.

"Holy shit!" Duke exclaimed.

Thorn growled and glared at Carmen, he remembered the scent from when Kriss got back her guitar.

"What's his problem?" Carmen asked.

"The thing that's everyone's problem…" Kriss retorted.

"What?" Duke and Carmen asked in unison.

"Sometimes I can't believe how dumb you are, Duke… Carmen, yeah I can understand…" Kriss exasperated.

"What?" Duke asked again.

"_She's _the problem; you of all people should know that!" Kriss shouted at her brother.

"Oh…" Duke said.

"Well, this has been fun and all, but I have stuff to do if you don't mind!" Carmen said, turning and running.

"Yes! I _do_ mind in fact!" Kriss yelled after her.

Duke sighed.

"You know that she's not that bad after all…" Duke told her.

"I can't believe you're taking her side! She's the enemy! She's…she's… a bitch!" Kriss concluded.

"She's your mom, and mine too!" Duke argued.

"Well yeah…. But….but…" Kriss sighed, "She's the devil in disguise! I know she is! Because she made my life a living Hell!" Kriss stated.

"I still don't understand why she did that either…" Duke mused.

"Like I do…" Kriss spat.

Thorn whined and looked at Kriss.

"What?" Kriss asked.

A drop of blood trickled from the wound above her eye.

"Oh, that…" Kriss said, looking up.

"Not more! God, I swear, you're going to die of blood lost…" Duke sighed, "C'mon…"

"No, it's alright, I'll just go back to my place, oh that feels weird. Saying something about going to my place when I'm _at_ the dumpster… oh well," Kriss shrugged.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting, you know you're dad now. I think that you owe me a favor now!" Duke laughed.

"Oh yeah… favor…. You want to live with him?" Kriss asked.

"No, no, I'm fine where I am."

"I thought so… well… I've got to go…" Kriss turned and starting walking in the direction she came from. Duke shrugged and got back in his car and drove away.

"Well, I'm not bored anymore!" Kriss joked.

Thorn was still quiet.

"What's up bud?" Kriss asked.

Thorn shrugged.

So did Kriss.

They kept walking. By the time they reached the house it was getting dark.

"Where were you?" Came the greeting when they went through the door.

"Away from you…" Kriss responded.

"What happened?" Ishizu asked, noting the blood and scratches.

"Nothing," Kriss told her.

"Looks like dangerous nothing," Odion mused.

"Like you?" Kriss asked.

"Hey!"

Ishizu shook her head.

"Wait, what seriously _did_ happen?" Marik asked.

"Something to where you wouldn't care," Kriss responded.

"Will you tell us something other than your sarcastic remarks?" Marik asked her.

"No," Kriss said, then she starting walking and went up the stairs.

"Come back here now!" Marik ordered.

Kriss thought better of it and reluctantly went back down the stairs.

"Okay, okay, I got into a fight, happy?" Kriss asked.

"We knew that much, with who was is with?" Marik interrogated.

"Carmen," Kriss told him.

"Carmen? How could she do that much damage?" Ishizu asked.

"You got into a fight with your mom that resulted in this?" Marik asked.

"Who's Carmen?" Was Odion's nice question.

"Yes to you two," Kriss pointed to Marik and Ishizu, "A bitch." She said, pointing to Odion.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Marik yelled.

"What!" Kriss asked.

"Leave her alone!" He shouted.

"No!" Kriss yelled back.

Ishizu meanwhile was explaining the full situation to Odion, Kriss and Marik were still fighting.

Thus this is the confusion that some people, mainly Kriss and co, have to live with.

Finally Kriss remembered something.

"I still need to take care of these cuts ya know…" She told Marik.

"Knock yourself out… literally…" Marik said.

"Okay…" Kriss said, continuing on her journey upward.

Then Ishizu elbowed Marik hard and gestured towards Kriss, muttering something. Marik sighed and said,

"I could help you know…"

Kriss stopped at the top of the stairs.

"You want to help?" She asked in disbelief.

"No, Ishizu wants me to." Marik explained, Ishizu elbowed him, harder that time, "Ow!" Marik exclaimed, rubbing his side where she hit him.

"Whatever floats your boat, I don't care…" Kriss said, continuing upstairs for the thousandth time.

"Okay…" Marik said.

Ishizu pushed him up the stairs after Kriss.

**How huh? XDD I thought so!**

**-Kriss**

**PS R&R, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO! IF NOT I WILL HATE YOU FOREVER AND BLOOFY WILL EAT YOU ALIVE! XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD**


	16. The War Begins

**Chapter Sixteen – The War Begins**

**Well, this is going by like REALLY REALLY fast! I'm amazed at myself! XDDD**

**Chapter Sixteen – The War Begins**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on Last**

Later

"Ow! Hey, that stings! Watch how much you pour on there!" Kriss yelled.

"Well, I see that the "Tough One" is gone now…" Marik exasperated.

"Hey! You try being me! I'd like to see you try it!" Kriss shouted back.

"You think you have it the worse? I had to do something even worse than this when I was _younger_ than you! So you just shut up over there!" Marik argued.

Kriss did shut up. She didn't want to know what he did, and quite frankly didn't care.

When they were done with Kriss' injuries, they headed back downstairs. Kriss made a break for the door, but Ishizu blocked her way.

"Don't you have anything to say?" She asked angrily.

"Not really, no…" Kriss answered.

Ishizu glared at her. When she'd made her point Kriss sighed and looked over at Marik.

"Thanks…" She grumbled, and then tried to head out the door, Ishizu caught her again.

"Marik?"

Marik looked at her like she was insane, which, right now she might be.

"Sure…" Marik managed.

Ishizu let Kriss go after this. Before she made it through the door, Kriss stopped and turned to Ishizu.

"You cannot force us to like each other!" Then Kriss left; she'd said her piece and that was it. She needed to find Rex.

He needed to be warned about Carmen. She was dangerous, and not looking to re-enslave Kriss anymore. Now she wanted her dead, but Kriss was not going down without a fight. However, if Carmen found out that Kriss was friends with Rex, he could be in serious danger.

At Rex's

Kriss knocked and waited for Rex to answer. He seemed to be taking while. She knocked again. Still no answer.

_'Well, I can't constantly expect him to be there…'_ Kriss thought dully.

She turned around and went back down the stairs. She hoped he was safe; just because he was her friend, but not in that way. Just strictly as a friend

Kriss was afraid of what could happen if, one, her mom found out and two, found Rex. She could kill him! And that's where Kriss came in.

She had hoped that Rex didn't go too far; not trying to be overprotective or what-not but, he was defenseless and he needed to stay someplace where she could make sure that he was safe.

Kriss briskly walked to her alley. Rex might have gone there, but he didn't. She then decided that if she _did_ run into her mom, she'd need an ally. Kriss ran back to her dad's house and burst through the door.

"That was fast…" Marik mused over the newspaper. Kriss saw the headline. **Dennis DeYoung, Still in Hiding And Why?** Kriss scoffed.

"Will they ever just leave him alone?"

Marik flipped it over and looked at the front again.

"I can't believe they're still after that guy, I can't wait 'till they just catch him already!" Marik scoffed too.

"Oh they won't!" Kriss smiled, "You can be sure of that!"

"How can I be sure? They'll catch him, trust me, they will," Marik told her.

"Not as long as I'm around," Kriss argued, then she realized that she let something slip when Marik looked at her, "YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT!" she shouted.

Marik raised his eyebrow. He looked up as Odion walked in with the mail.

"Surprisingly, Kriss got a letter…" Odion stated.

At these words, Kriss came flying down the stairs.

"A letter?" She asked.

"How did you hear me from way up there?" Odion asked in surprise.

"Um…um… you talk….too…loud?" Kriss grinned and snatched her mail from Odion.

Odion and Marik just stared, and then looked at each other confusedly.

Kriss tore open her mail and gasped.

"I didn't know it'd be that much, holy shit..." Kriss became aware of the staring uncle and father and shut up.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Marik said, snatching it away from her. He read it and had the same reaction, "Where the hell is this coming from?" He asked in disbelief.

Kriss shrugged.

Marik glared at her.

"Fine! You win… um…. Record …sales?" Kriss tried, "Hm... that Dennis DeYoung thing must REALLY be gong to their heads…." Kriss noted.

Marik continued reading and yelped and jumped up in surprise.

"Dennis DeYoung. That's how you're so sure that he hasn't been caught!" Marik sat dawn down and massaged his temples.

Kriss grinned, "Uh yeah… apparently all this news junk has really been pushing my record sales!"

Odion was still confused.

"So wait… _She's _Dennis DeYoung?" He asked.

Kriss nodded, "Good job Einstein…"

Kriss took the letter back.

"Hey wait! So, you can just like… cash that by yourself?" Marik asked, "Like, doesn't a parent have to be present?"

"No, I can just put it in my back account, but I can't use it until I'm 18…" Kriss explained.

"So if all your checks are like that, then you're gonna be rich when you turn 18, huh?" Marik asked.

"No, well, yeah, I'm gonna be rich when I'm older," Kriss explained, "but they were a lot bigger when I was in my prime but then I had to "go into hiding" 'cause I ran away, then record sales went up, but they couldn't send me the checks because I didn't have an address so I just contacted them yesterday and explained the situation…"

"So they know that you're Dennis DeYoung?" Marik wondered aloud.

"Yeah but if they blab then I sue them," Kriss smirked.

"Nice…" Marik added.

"Wait, she _is_ Dennis DeYoung? Hold shit!" Odion said.

"What was that?" Ishizu shouted from the living room.

"Oh great, why don't I just tell the whole world while I'm at it? Jeez!" Kriss exclaimed.

"Yep, this is Dennis, "The Legend"" Marik scoffed, "Some legend…"

"I was pretty dammed good for a nine year old!" Kriss argued.

"Wait, Dennis _was_ at his prime four years ago, yeah, that would make you nine… Holy cow…" Marik realized.

"Good job!" Kriss congratulated, then she rolled her eyes, "Which means that I'm even better now!"

"Wait, you couldn't have done this by yourself, you else was with you?" Marik wondered.

"Some neighbors… I think…" Kriss thought for awhile.

"Oh that's great…" Marik said.

"I know, huh!" Kriss laughed.

Marik shook his head. He really didn't understand this girl that was her daughter.

"Gar! I forgot!" Kris exclaimed.

"Gar?" Marik asked.

"What'd you forget?" Odion asked.

"Yes to you," Kriss pointed at Marik, "And, something important!" Kriss whistled. It was a shrill and loud whistle.

Ishizu came flying in, followed by Thorn.

"Wow… it works for Ishizu too!" Kriss mused, then she beckoned to Thorn and headed towards the door.

"Hey! When are you going to be back?" Marik called after her.

"I dunno!" Kriss shrugged.

"Well, don't forget that you have school tomorrow!" Marik reminded.

"How in Ra's name could I forget that!" Kriss shouted. She had gone today to get her uniform. She had refused to wear the skirt that was required for the girls. Marik refused to make her go anywhere else. The fitter was getting angry too, so Kriss had a guy's uniform, which was actually a lot more comfortable then the girls'.

Marik rolled his eyes and Kriss returned it with her own eye-rolling. She left with Thorn tagging happily behind.

Kriss walked back to Rex's apartment, but her still wasn't there, so she began to go to the alley again.

Kriss kicked the pavement as they walked. How could her dad just _make_ her go back to school? She'd already graduated from online classes, wasn't that enough? She didn't need to go to high school; she didn't even need to get a job. She had enough money to pay for collage that she didn't need and retirement already. Well… when she turn 18.

As she neared the alley she could detect the sounds of a quiet scuffle. Just as she thought, her mom had found out about Rex.

Kriss changed immediately into Glacier and flew around the corner. If Rex was scared before, he was even more freaked out now. He thought that Glacier was an alley to the other white wolf tearing at his sleeve. Carmen turned and snarled at Glacier. Thorn growled, Glacier however, just returned the snarl with a cold glare. Rex looked frightened out of his life; his hopes glimmered a bit when he spotted Thorn, however.

Carmen let go of Rex's sleeve and charged at Glacier, who stood his ground; as a result, Carmen was thrown back on contact. It was as though she had run headlong into a brick wall. Glacier lunged at her, tearing through the air with his razor sharp claws. Carmen leapt back, but still caught a bit in her snout. She yelped and Glacier smirked. How could she expect to beat him when she yelped at the slighted scratch?

Glacier lunged at her again, this time going for her throat. He then changed his plan at the last moment and turned his head and kicked the pavement with his powerful hind legs and grabbed Carmen by the scruff of her neck and threw her against the wall. She lay at the base, shocked.

Glacier took this time to return to Kriss and rushed over to Rex. Rex stared dumbfounded at her.

"What the hell was that all about?" He asked her.

Kriss held out her hand and he took it. She helped him to his feet and handed him something. It was a gold chain.

"What's this for?" he asked confusedly.

"So you can defend yourself a bit better in case this happens again!" Kriss told him in a stern voice.

"How's this gonna help?" Rex swung it around a bit, but still didn't get it.

"_Ay chingow_!" Kriss exclaimed. She snatched it from his hands as Carmen found her feet again, she charged at Kriss, who was, in her eyes, now defenseless.

As Carmen neared, Kriss raised her hand and whipped the chain through the air, bringing down a whip of hate on Carmen's flank.

Carmen yelped again and thought better of fighting right now. She turned tail and ran, retreated from the golden whip.

"Oh…" Rex responded.

"Yeah, watch out for her, that's my mom, in wolf form," Kriss told him.

"I noticed, she looks like you," Rex observed.

"I could be a black wolf if I had the collar," Kriss said.

"Huh?" Rex asked.

"Nevermind, I'll explain it later," Kriss said.

"That'll work, so, how long do you think that this little thing between the two of you will last?" Rex asked.

"Until one of us is dead," Kriss said tonelessly.

**W00t! that was great! I can't wait till the next chapter! That one will rock!**

**-Kriss**


	17. School

**Chapter Seventeen – School**

**W00t! This is awsome! I LOVE my story! –huggles story-**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Seventeen – School**

"Aw shit… do I have to?

?" Kriss looked at her alarm clock. It was six fifteen in the morning.

"Um, yeah, you knew about this since like, uh, last week!" Marik told her. Turning off the clock and yanking the blanket off of Kriss.

"Yow! That's cold! Give it back!" Kriss said, sitting straight up and glaring it him.

"No! You've got to go to school first!" Marik taunted.

Kriss grumbled and got up. She looked at Marik, then at her uniform, "Shoo," She said, gesturing at the same time.

Marik chuckled and left the room. Kriss scoffed to herself and started to get into her blue uniform.

Kriss emerged looking rather weird and somewhat like a Duke-Poser. In fact, she _felt_ weird too. Marik laughed and asked her,

"Are you walking?"

"Nah, I think I'll just steal your motorcycle, again!" Kriss cheerily responded.

Marik glared and gave her the, 'don't even think about it' look, which she got rather often…

Kriss chuckled and went through the door; Thorn ran up and skidded behind her. He grinned.

Kriss looked at him, "No."

Thorn looked crushed. His ears drooped and his tail sagged as he went back up the stairs to the room.

"A little harsh, huh?" Ishizu asked.

"He knows he can't go…" Kriss responded.

Kriss continued her trek, (Yes, another trek.) She walked to Duke's place to see if he was ready yet. He burst through the door and didn't even notice her as her rushed in another direction.

_'Wow, like I'm not used to that…'_ Kriss thought dully. She then ran off in the direction Duke had gone; her laptop bag banging at her side, and getting quite annoying.

Kriss looked at the swarming school that reminded her instantly of a bee hive and took a deep breath. This was it. The first impression.

Kriss walked up, she got some funny stares, but nothing too major. She'd thought it'd be a lot worse, being in a guys' uniform and all. Kriss found her class and opened the door. Everyone stared at her. She spotted Duke. And Joey, and Kaiba. Kriss sighed.

"Oh great, everyone who hates me all in one class…" She breathed.

"Oh great, a cross dresser!" Seto smirked.

Kriss glared at him.

"Oh great, an amateur…" Kriss retorted.

Seto glared back, but did not say a word.

Kriss sat down next to her brother.

"Why are you in a guy's uniform?" Duke asked.

"'Cause there were no skirts that fit me, thank Ra…" Kriss then added, "You know what that means?"

"That…uh…no…"

"I'm going anorexic…"

Duke chuckled.

"People are going to think you're weird for wearing a guys' uniform though…"

"People are going to think that I'm weird for having to live in a dumpster for four years, think I care?" Kriss asked.

"That's true…"

Another boy walked in. He had white hair and a cool pendant around his neck. He walked over and stopped in front of Kriss' desk.

"What? Do you want to make a joke?" Kriss asked.

Duke punched her arm. Kriss growled.

"No, that's my seat," The boy said.

"Oh!" Kriss replied, she hopped out and sat in the one behind Duke.

Kriss heard Seto say something and a couple people laugh, but she didn't care at the moment.

"What's the beef between you and Kaiba?" Duke leaned over and asked.

"I dunno, but he started it," Kriss whispered back.

"It's never your fault…" Duke exasperated.

"I know! I'm the innocent victim!" Kriss grinned.

"Yeah… "Innocent"" Duke sighed.

"That's me!" Kriss grinned again.

The teacher walked in. She looked at Kriss.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"A cross dresser," Seto smirked.

"Oh can it Kaiba!" Kriss spat.

The teacher asked again, "Who are you?"

"The new student…" Kriss told her.

"Oh, yeah, I got an e-mail about you!" She remembered.

Kriss made the 'loco' sign to Duke; he snickered and made the gesture to stop.

The teacher was scanning her screen, "Oh yeah… Miss…. Devlin?" she asked.

Everyone burst out laughing. Duke glared at Kriss.

"And I knew he put my under that name, _how_?" Kriss asked.

"Now everyone knows I'm related to you!" Duke hissed.

"Do you _not_ want to be related to me? I can kill you, you know!" Kriss hissed back.

Duke looked at her funny and went back to looking forward.

"I thought so," Kriss said.

The teacher looked at her and Duke.

"Perhaps you'd like to go sit over there, there's and empty seat next to Kaiba," She suggested.

Seto pushed the empty desk away from his.

"Um, I think not," Kriss shook her head.

"Too bad, now," She ordered.

Kriss grumbled and got up and walked across the room. Yugi and his friends were all huddled in the middle of the row. Kriss passed them but did not make eye contact. She knew Wheeler would take any opportunity to taunt her in any way, shape or form.

Kriss sailed by them and sat in the desk by Kaiba. Seto glared at her. Kriss returned it gladly.

"Well, I think that you two will soon be good friends!" The teacher concluded.

"Yeah… "friends'" Kriss scoffed.

"I'd rather die," Seto responded.

"Yeah, anyways," The teacher began her lesson. It was geometry first. Kriss was an expert at it.

Then they moved on to science, which she was also good at. The one that amazed everyone was that she was even better than Duke at Spanish. Duke was the best in the class, until Kriss at least.

By the time lunch rolled around, Kriss was quite pleased with herself. When the bell rang, Duke waited at the door for her to catch up.

"Yo," Duke said.

"Yo yourself," Kriss responded.

"We've got to work on that..." Duke said.

"I know…"

They walked to the cafeteria, apparently in that short of time, word about Kriss spread like a wildfire throughout the school.

Everyone stopped talking at once and turned at stared at her.

Kriss sighed, and then she leaned back and whispered to Duke,

"I have the feeling someone's staring at me…"

"Don't we all?"

"No, I really, really think that someone's staring at me!"

"EVERYONE is staring at you Kriss!" Duke shouted.

"Thank you for that update!" Kriss thanked.

Everyone laughed at her as she walked. She got her lunch then waited for Duke to get out of the line.

"Where do you usually sit?" She asked him.

He pointed over to where Yugi and Co. were sitting.

"Ah, how predictable," Kriss scoffed.

Nevertheless, she walked over anyways. This was going to be a fun lunch.

They were talking about dueling when Kriss and Duke came over.

"Oh come on! Ishizu is _so_ better than Kaiba!" Tristan said.

"_Everyone _is better than Kaiba," Kriss said.

"You barely even know him!" Joey argued, "Dino Dork's Girlfriend," He added under his breath.

Kriss however, did not let it go unnoticed. She pushed Joey out of his chair, moved his tray aside and sat down.

"Well… that solves the seat problem…" Kriss responded.

"Hey! You're the seat problem! You're everyone's problem!" Tristan bursted, sticking up for his friend.

"No I'm not, however, annoying people like you are," Kriss said dryly.

"I am not annoying!" Tristan argued.

"Okay! Now you're arguing about being annoying! Just shut up and leave me alone!" Kriss shouted.

Tristan took this as his queue to listen for once.

"Duke, she has problems, why do you hang out with her man?" Tristan whispered.

"I heard that you know," Kriss said blankly.

Joey "sneakily sneakily" grabbed his tray off of the table and began eating in peace on the floor.

"I have to, kind of… She grows on you after awhile," Duke explained.

"You know, I think it was more confusing when you explained it…" Kriss said.

"Yeah, I think so too!" Joey piped in.

"You're always confused…" Kriss said.

"Oh yeah! Dino Dork's Girlfriend. Ha Ha! You can't push me! I'm already on the floor!" Joey pointed out.

"No, but I can still step on you!" Kriss smirked.

Joey looked scared so he stood up and stuck out his tongue, Kriss pushed him.

"That wasn't nice!" Tea told her.

"Neither is him calling me Rex's girlfriend! I don't see you yelling at him," Kriss shouted back.

"That's because friends are too valuable to waste! Yelling at friends never makes anything better! Life is much more bearable with friends!" Tea said.

"Are you done yet?" Kriss asked.

"No, I'm not!" Tea said angrily.

Duke nudged her.

"Don't, it'll just make her more mad…" Duke said.

"You get angry too easy…" Yugi stated.

"It took you that long to come to that conclusion?" Kriss asked, "Wow, I'm almost afraid to hear what Joey thinks I am…" Kriss scoffed.

"No, I just needed to restate that," Yugi explained.

"Well, we didn't need it restated, I do that on my own," Kriss said.

Yugi shrugged.

The bell rang. The gang threw away their trash and went back to class.

"That was a short lunch…" Kriss observed.

"Yeah, I forgot how short it was…" Duke agreed.

Kriss and Duke went back to class. Duke went to his seat and Kriss journeyed over to hers. Seto was still just as mad as when she first came over.

"Back?" He asked.

"Yeah, not like you care…." Kriss responded, hauling out her laptop.

"Don't forget it," Seto spat back.

"I can't, you won't let me," Kriss responded.

Seto just ignored her. Not like she cared, she just ignored him back.

After school was over Kriss met Duke at the front of the building.

"So, do you need a ride?" Duke asked.

"No, you ignored me this morning… I'll just walk again," Kriss said.

"When did I ignore you?" Duke asked.

"This morning! I went over to your house and you ran out and didn't even notice me!" Kriss told him.

"I didn't? Huh… that's weird, I would have at least seen you I thought…" Duke mused.

"Well, I guess not!" Kriss said.

"Nope!"

"You're not helping yourself…"

**Well, I think I'll end the hilarity there for now. I have no clue what the next chapter is going to be about…**

**-Kriss**

**P.S. R&R!**


	18. Tragedy Strikes

**Chapter Eighteen – Tragedy Strikes**

**This is going to be sad, I know it, listen to the title! It's gonna suck but i have to do it now if I ever want to finish this story X.x**

**Chapter Eighteen – Tragedy Strikes**

One Week Later

Kriss barged through the door. She _had_ to find it! How could she be so stupid as to lose it? Stupid tooth…

Kriss ran upstairs and looked on her desk. It wasn't there either. Knowing her life, Marik had it and was hiding it from her.

"Oh NYAR!" Kriss screamed. She was proud of the word that she just made up.

The phone rang. Kriss snatched it off the receiver.

"Yo," She greeted.

"Oh my god, oh my god! Kriss, I didn't mean too! It was an accident!" Rex started.

"Hey! Hey! Slow down!" Kriss ordered.

Rex took a deep breath on the other end and started over.

"It was an accident, I'll start there! You're mom like, find out my number and I accidentally told her that you lost it…" Rex explained.

Kriss looked horrified.

"Rex! You _idiot!_" She yelled into the phone. She slammed it down and feverishly started looking again, this time with more urgency.

There was a knock on the door. Kriss stared at it. Thorn came downstairs. Kriss beckoned for him to be quiet. She had to do something. The window? Yeah, yeah, that might work.

Kriss started upstairs very, very quietly. The fifth stair creaked; very loudly.

Carmen knocked again,

"I know you're in there Kriss."

"No I'm not!" Kriss shouted back, "SHIT!" Kriss smacked her forehead.

"Aha!" Carmen quickly picked the lock and was in the house.

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit!" Kriss said as she ran past Carmen and out the door, followed by Thorn.

"Hey! Get back here!" Carmen yelled, transforming and chasing after Kriss.

Kriss ran quickly to get somewhere where Carmen couldn't reach her. Carmen leapt and landed on Kriss. Kriss flailed as Carmen bit and scratched her. Kriss had cuts everywhere now and finally had enough and kicked with all her might, sending Carmen flying into the house wall.

Kriss was in a state of disbelief. She held her arm that was bleeding the worse as she reviewed her options. She had nothing! Nowhere she could go, nothing she could do… wait a minute! Kriss smirked as she lifted her heavy army boots and drew her knife out from within.

Kriss spun around and threw her knife at Carmen who was trying to get up. Carmen froze as the knife came towards her. It hit her on the shoulder, pinning her to the wall.

Kriss smirked as Carmen transformed back into her human form. Carmen glared at her and pulled something out too. Something more dangerous.

A gun.

Kriss froze, afraid to move and get shot. She waiting as Carmen loaded the gun and took aim. Kriss dove as the bullet went whizzing above her. Thorn ducked and it missed him too.

Kriss got up before she could shoot again. So she got smart finally. Now this was going to be a hard fight. She was now defenseless. The only thing that Kriss had was her brain and her body, but she wasn't dumb enough to get close enough to Carmen to punch her while she had a gun.

Thorn knew that it was up to him. He needed to do something to help Kriss. He ran out in front and growled at Carmen. Carmen took aim again and shot. Thorn quickly dodged out of the way. Kriss dashed over and grabbed him around his middle, diving as another bullet flew by.

They needed to get a plan quick. They dove behind a dumpster and waited. Carmen took the knife out of her, freeing herself from the wall.

Kriss knew that there wasn't much time. It was quickly running away.

Wait, time! In a few minutes her dad was going to get home from whatever he did all day. Kriss knew that she could buy enough time for her dad to get home and stop this whole mess.

Kriss told Thorn to stay put and she ran out and zigzagged back and forth to ensure her safety from the gun. Carmen quickly caught on and fired another round. It got Kriss in the arm.

"Yowch!" Kriss bursted. It seared like fire.

Kriss collapsed to her knees. Of all her fights, she had never been shot before. It was painful and she needed some time to recuperate. Carmen seized that time to aim carefully. This was it. The end of the war. Kriss looked over and sluggishly tried to move out of the way.

Carmen shot. Thorn ran out to protect his friend. It got him instead.

"NO!" Kriss screamed.

Her friend. Her family that cared, was lying on the ground, the blood was pooling around him, staining the grass crimson.

A car pulled up and Marik got out with Ishizu and Odion. It took awhile for him to take in the scene.

Kriss ran into the house. She flew up the stairs, going three at a time. She threw back the covers. Surprisingly she found her wolf tooth. She threw it on and yanked the sheet off the bed. She transformed and as Glacier he ran out the front door with the sheet clamped in his teeth.

Marik had chased away Carmen and was leaning over Thorn. He backed off instantly when he saw Glacier coming. Glacier quickly transformed back and Kriss spread out the sheet.

Kriss gently lifted Thorn onto the sheet. He whined slightly. Kriss crooned as she quickly worked to gently set him on the sheet. When he was fully on she transformed yet again and grabbed the end and began to pull it into the house.

Marik could see instantly that it wouldn't work and he wrapped the sheet a bit more and picked up Thorn. Glacier panted as Marik stepped around him and went into the kitchen.

Odion ran past Marik and cleared the table. Marik set Thorn on it and Kriss ran up beside him. She saw the wound and put pressure on it to stop the bleeding.

Thorn whined and breathed harder. Kriss knew it was straining his energy but she had to if he wanted to live.

"Hong on buddy! Don't worry, I'll save you," Kriss reassured. She as the bleeding slowed she got some gauze from the bathroom and began wrapping it around Thorn's ribcage to hold off the blood. She felt his chest and felt a weakness in the ribs. Two were broken. Thorn whined louder as Kriss did this. She felt that his heart was beating, but barely.

"No!" Kriss shouted.

But it was too late. All Kriss could do was to watch sadly as the life slowly drained out of her best friend. Kriss eyes wet instantly but she refused to let them get in the way of her best friend's life.

Kriss racked her brain to think of anything that she could do. But she could think of nothing that could instantly stop someone from dying.

Thorn looked at her with sad eyes that held more fright than anger. Kriss looked back. Her eyes glistened as she saw him close his eyes for the final time. Kriss put her hands to his chest and started pushing against him to get his heart beating again.

"No! Come on Thorn! You can do it! Come back! Come back!" Kriss finally gave up and turned around and leaned against the wall.

Marik sadly took the sheet in his hand and folded it over Thorn's body.

Rex came skidding through the door. He saw Kriss against the wall, hiding her face.

"No! Not Thorn!" He cried out. Marik nodded slowly.

Ishizu started crying, Odion patted her back reassuringly.

"Kriss?" Rex asked tentatively.

Kriss got off the wall. She was oblivious to her own needs as she slowly started walking towards the ceiling door that led to the roof.

"Kriss?" Rex asked again, grabbing her hand.

Kriss looked at her hand and glared at Rex. She smacked his hand away from hers and growled,

"How does it feel to lose your best friend?"

Even Ishizu was too upset to yell at her. Kriss fled to the roof top. She transformed and walked to the very edge.

He sat down and just stared into the night sky. Glacier put his paws on the raised part that bordered the perimeter of the roof. The stars twinkled and the moon clouded over, matching Glacier's mood. As the sky darkened Glacier just sat. Not a muscle quivered. A slight breeze swept through the air, ruffling Glacier's fur. Memories of Thorn seemed to flash in the sky as Glacier remembered his friend. His ally who gave up his life for him. Glacier was now a rogue, a loner; for he was now alone in this unforgiving world that hated him as much as he hate it. As it got much later, Glacier soon lost all sense of time. He was too busy reminiscing about old times with his brother.

Glacier heard footsteps behind him and Marik's scent surrounded him. He looked at him and Marik stared into his eyes. Glacier's eyes had changed. They had lost their spark, their sense of life. They were cold and dark. Marik gasped slightly and backed off to continue to leave Glacier to his own time. Another breeze swept by, bring little needles of pain as they blasted Glacier's cuts and scrapes with and icy chill.

Glacier decided that he had spent enough time out on the roof. A final image of Thorn popped into his head. It was one of his favorite memories. The way that Thorn slept. He looked so cute. Glacier shook himself as if to rid himself of the image as he got up, a solitary year leaked out of his eye. The first of its kind.

**Well, there ya go. The tragedy that struck. How will Kriss cope without her friends. Thorn is dead and she seems to have deserted Rex.**


	19. Coping

**Chapter Nineteen – Coping**

**Now what will happen? I don't even know, I just kinda write what comes to my head and it goes through and I type it and yeah. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm writing; my fingers have a mind of their own O.o**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Nineteen – Coping**

_Thorn ran ahead, quickly followed by Glacier. They frolicked and pounced in the field. They were so happy. _

_ Suddenly, a dark cloud formed overhead. The two wolves stopped instantly and looked up. A lightning bolt came at Thorn. Glacier grabbed him and pulled him out of the way. The bolt followed them._

_ Thorn started running, Glacier ran behind him to ensure his friend's safety. They ran and ran. Farther, but it seemed that at every turn, the dark cloud was right there._

_ They couldn't escape._

_ Thorn tripped and Glacier stopped the dark cloud hovered above them. As Glacier looked at it, he saw I figure standing on top. It wasn't an animal or a human. Glacier was confused, but alas, Thorn was up and being chased again._

_ The dark cloud flew over Glacier. He watched in horror as the dangerous lightning bolt touched Thorn. But there was no electricity. Instead, it wrapped itself around Thorn, lifting him off the ground._

_ "No!" Glacier shouted as he ran ahead. The figure on top of the cloud became clearer. The only place where Glacier had seen anything ever remotely close was in a book he had read. It looked like a golden griffon._

_ Glacier's eyes went ablaze as he chased to cloud and the figure that was taking his friend away from him. The griffon screeched loudly at Glacier as Thorn was taken higher into the air, closer to the cloud._

_ "No!" Glacier shouted again. This time it was louder and the cloud slowed down. The griffon looked at him. He gave a disapproving look and the cloud sped away._

_ Glacier ran for all he was worth. This was it. If he didn't catch the cloud, Thorn would be taken away forever._

_ Glacier seemed to fly over the grass; the wind was whipping at his face, tugging at his ears. The cloud was still in front of him, but it was getting farther away. Thorn seemed to be a lifeless puppet, hanging from the cloud though kept safe by the lightning bolt._

_ Angry and love were the only things that kept Glacier from giving up. He needed to do this, it was his last chance._

_ Unbeknown to Glacier, there was a cliff right ahead. But he refused to take his eyes off the cloud, in fear of losing his friend forever._

_ The cliff loomed ahead and Glacier pushed forward. Using up all his strength, he seemed to be gaining slowly on the cloud. Encouraged by this, Glacier sped up as much as his body would allow him_

_ Glacier was close to the cliff and the cloud now. The griffon turned towards him and started laughing. Glacier was confused, he wasn't being comical. Then Glacier spotted the cliff. He was going to fast He tried to slow down, but he didn't fast enough. He went over._

_ Glacier swirled in confusion. He looked up and saw Thorn reaching out towards him._

_ "Nooooooooo!" Glacier yelled, reaching back, as he tumbled farther and farther down._

"Nooooooooo!" Kriss screamed as she fell over the edge of her bed.

She sat one the floor, staring blankly into the darkness that was her room. She was breathing really heavily and had broken into a cold sweat. She clamped her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head to clear it of the dream.

But she couldn't, Glacier's scream was still ringing in her head and the picture of Thorn reaching out his paw as fear shone in his eyes.

Marik burst through the door. Kriss winced as he turned on the light, chasing the darkness away.

"What's wrong?" He asked, actually looking worried.

"Nothing that concerns you," Kriss said as she looked away to keep the tears from streaming down her face.

Marik's face softened as he stepped closer to her. She was still sitting on the floor, her blanket laying around her in a crescent. He knelt down.

"Now, again, what's wrong?" He asked in a gentle tone.

"Nothing! Just leave me alone!" Kriss screamed at him as she got up and walked towards the window.

She threw it open and sat on the windowsill, contemplating weather she should fall over the edge on purpose and just end it all.

Marik sat on the bed and began pulling the blanket beck up. He looked over at her desk and saw her knife. It looked like there was something on it. He went over to it and peered at it.

It was covered in blood. Marik looked at Kriss who had her face buried in her arms. There was gauze wrapped around both of her forearms.

He went over to her and lifted one of her arms. She didn't seem to care. She was slowly giving up. _'Why would she cut herself?'_ Marik asked himself. He decided against asking. He sat down on the bit of the windowsill that was left.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"No, I think I'm insane…" Kriss said, lifting her head.

Marik sat quietly and looked out into the night sky. It was clear and the stars shone brightly.

"Does Ra look like a griffon?" Kriss asked after awhile.

"Yeah, why?" Marik responded.

Kriss narrowed her eyes and looked out the window too, "No reason."

Marik sighed. After a little bit, Kriss said,

"He took him away from me."

"Ra?" Mark asked.

"Yes. It was in my dream. Ra was sitting on a dark cloud and he took Thorn away," Kriss said, the images flooding her thoughts again. Her eyes wet, blurring her vision. She squeezed them shut and wiped them with her hands.

Marik looked at her.

"If you refuse to let your emotions out, they become all bottled up; no wonder you think you're going insane." He told her.

"You sound like a psychiatrist…" Kriss frowned.

"Yeah, but still I know from experience…" Marik said, "If you keep in all your hate, you seem to just wither away…" Marik said.

"Oh really, what happened to you?" Kriss asked.

"When I was 12 I had to do something called the 'tomb keeper's' initiation. They carved the secret of the Pharaoh into my back," Marik started.

Kriss grimaced, "Yowch."

"Yeah, no kidding, after that I changed. I grew a dark spot and it kept growing, that's how my Yami was formed," Marik said.

"What's a Yami?" Kriss asked.

"It's like, a darker half," Marik explained, "Mine took over one day… I managed to trap it within the Millennium Rod though…" Marik said, holding it up and staring at it. Kriss looked at it too. The symbol on it looked familiar. But she didn't know where she had seen it before.

"So, can it come out? Ever?" Kriss asked.

"Yeah… sometimes…" Marik said, he looked out the window again.

Kriss wiped her eyes again. She couldn't cry, especially in front of her dad. One escaped however.

Marik looked at her. In his eyes, sympathy flickered through, than disappeared.

"It's okay," He reassured.

"No it's not… Not for me…" Kriss told him.

"Yes it is, I don't think you understand," Marik said.

"I understand. I understand that I'm alone now. In this world. Trapped. All alone…" Kriss looked at the carpet.

"No, you're not alone," Marik told her. Kriss looked at him, "I'm with you now."

Kriss' eyes shone brightly.

"Really? Wow… Never thought I'd hear that. Huh… My dad, on my side… What are you trying to pull?" Kriss questioned.

"I'm not trying to pull anything. I mean it. I'm with you now," Marik said with no hint of a joke.

"Really? So you're like, actually trying to be a father… wow…" Kriss said softly.

"Yeah. You need someone right now. I'm not gonna let you go through this by yourself," Marik told her.

Kriss smiled. It was her first true smile in a long time. Then she looked down again.

"I think Ra hates me…" She said.

"What? Ra doesn't hate everybody. He's a god," Marik said.

"No, but he hates me. In my dream, he took Thorn away then laughed when I ran over the cliff…" Kriss explained.

"It was a dream, Kid, it doesn't mean that he hates you," Marik said.

Kriss shrugged. She didn't believe him, but they were getting along well right now and she didn't want to ruin it. Marik thought that it would be a good time to ask her about the knife.

"Why's you knife all bloody over there?" He asked gently.

"Oh…. I wanted to make sure that I would never forget Thorn…" Kriss explained.

"What'd you do?"

Kriss started unwrapping the gauze. It was on very thick. After a few times around her forearm, blood started showing through the white gauze. It looked like it was in a line. After it was off Marik could see clearly that she had carved a 'T' into her skin. It was still bleeding. She got the roll of gauze from her desk and started redressing it.

"That's what the other one looks like too…" Kriss told him.

Marik stared in disbelief. He could understand why she didn't put anything over it, or sew it up or anything. She wanted it to leave a scar. Marik sighed and rested his head in his hands.

"Don't worry, I'll live," Kriss said.

"It's not that, it's me, don't worry about it," Marik said.

"Okay," Kriss shrugged.

As Kriss put the gauze back on the table something fell on the floor. She picked it up. It was her locket. She glared at it and went over to the window. With a mighty launched, she sent it flying.

"What was that for?" Marik asked.

"Thorn's pictures were in it… They were good pictures, but I don't want them," She said.

Marik sighed again.

"I know, I know, you don't understand…" Kriss exasperated.

Marik shook his head and started walking towards the door.

"You'd better get some sleep, tomorrow's Monday," He said.

Kriss nodded, she felt tired. Being sad made you tired. She looked over at her clock. The digital readout said that it was two in the morning.

She could still sleep for about four hours. She'd need it too. Time to return to the circle of hate.

The Next Morning

Kriss' alarm clock went off. She pushed herself up and rested her weight on her elbows. She groggily turned it off and got up. Kriss yawned and stretched a few times. She then got into her stupid blue uniform and went downstairs.

Ishizu and Odion were at the table. Marik was still in his room. Kriss made a piece of toast and started towards the door.

Marik's door opened upstairs and he came downstairs.

"Wait up Kid, I'll drive ya," He offered.

Kriss was feeling too lazy to object so she leaned against the wall eating her toast.

Marik came down with the keys to the car because the motorcycle doesn't do well with two people on it. They both left. Kriss got in the car and Marik walked around to the other side.

Kriss sighed. She couldn't help but think about how mad Ishizu was at her. Because she'd been mad at Rex, Ishizu thought it gave her the right to be mad at Kriss.

"What's up?" Marik asked.

"I don't want to go to school; all that's there is more hated…" Kriss said.

"Well, yeah, then, just focus on the academic part," Marik told her as he drove.

"I already know the entire academic part…" Kriss exasperated.

"Well then, ask the teacher about anything that you don't know," Marik suggested.

"I'll try… I might end up confusing _her_ though," Kriss said.

"That's true, you can be pretty confusing," Marik smirked.

"My, how nice you are…" Kriss told him.

"Well it's true!" Marik said, slowing down because they were at the school.

Kriss opened the door. "The sucky part is that I still can't do driver's Ed, that'd give me something to concentrate on…" Kriss said.

"True. Don't try to pick fights though, that might help," Marik said.

"Picking fights is the only thing that keeps my out of my head and thinking about something else…" Kriss told him.

"At least you have Duke " Marik said.

Kriss nodded. Then she turned around and started walking up to the building.

Walking into that classroom this time was almost as bad as walking into it the first time. She was sure that Seto wouldn't be nice. She looked at Duke's seat only to discover that it was empty.

Kriss looked at Bakura.

"Where's Duke?" She asked.

"Stop acting dumb Kriss," Seto sneered.

"Shut up Kaiba! Just, put a lid on it for Ra's sake!" Kriss shouted at him.

"Make me!" He jeered.

Kriss stormed over. She glared at him and growled,

"I will if you want me too, and I'll enjoy it."

Joey started laughing.

"I'll shut you up too Wheeler!" She pointed out.

Yugi shushed Joey and Kriss took her seat.

Joey didn't stop though.

"What's with the gauze? 'Cause if no one told you, you use wrist bands, not medical appliances!"

"Don't use up your entire vocabulary in one sentence Wheeler," Kriss said coolly.

Joey glared back at her.

"Well at least I have friends unlike you," He said.

Now it was Kriss' turn to glare.

"I don't need friends, they only get in the way," She told him.

"Get in the way of what? It's not like you do anything other than school!"

"Was that an insult? Then again, for you it would be!"

"Hey! At least I don't have a bogus boyfriend!"

"I don't have a boyfriend! He was never my boyfriend and now he isn't even my friend anymore!"

Yugi looked at her.

"Why? What happened?" he asked.

"Why would you care?" Kriss responded.

"He doesn't!" Joey said.

"Yes I do Joey," Yugi said, looking up at him.

"No one cares about me, I'm hated," Kriss said.

"You can say that again!" Seto smirked.

Kriss rolled her eyes.

Tea then had to interrupt.

"Wait, you and Rex aren't friends anymore?"

"Did you not hear what I just said?" Kriss glared at her.

"Well, yeah. I was just double checking."

"Don't."

The teacher walked in and all conversation immediately stopped.

After an hour, Duke walked in with a pass from the office.

"And where were you Mr. Devlin?" The teacher asked.

"Helping my mom."

Kriss stood up.

"Doing what?" She growled.

Duke narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Where is she?" Kriss asked menacingly.

"Away from you!"

"Not for long…"

"Not if I can help it!"

"You won't be able to for long," Kriss told him darkly.

"Okay! That's enough you two!" The teacher stopped.

She had them sit down. But that didn't stop them from having a glaring contest.

"Did something happen over the weekend?" Yugi asked Kriss.

"Why would you care?" Kriss asked, not breaking eye contact from Duke.

"And the answer is…. Duke?" The teacher asked.

"Huh?" Duke said, looking at her.

"I thought so… You and Kriss go sit in the hall now," She ordered.

Seto snickered.

"Good going Dukey Boy…" Kriss growled.

"You started it!" Duke hissed.

They went out into the hall and the teacher slammed the door behind them.

"How did I start this? This is all moms' fault!" Kriss whispered angrily.

"No it's not! Mom told me all about what happened yesterday! You shot her!" Duke said.

"What! I didn't shoot her! She shot Thorn! And me!" Kriss said, pointing to her arm where the fire had pierced.

"No she didn't! Stop lying!" Duke ordered.

"I'm not lying!" Kriss shouted.

"Yes you are! I was helping her! She was shot in three different places!" Duke shouted back.

"She _killed_ Thorn! I didn't have _any_ defense! It was all her!" Kriss yelled.

"Stop acting like the victim here! For once can you _not_ be the center of attention?" Duke asked her.

"I don't want attention! Attention wants me!" Kriss exasperated.

"Yeah, suuuuure. Thorn is fine! I saw him today!" Duke said.

"You did? WHERE!" Kriss shouted at him.

The door flew open again.

"Will you two just shut up!" The teacher yelled at them.

"Hey, this is important!" Kriss told her, "Where did you see him?"

"No where that concerns you," Duke shot back.

"You two need counseling, and tomorrow you're getting it," The teacher told them, shutting the door once again.

"Thanks a lot Kriss…" Duke said.

"No problem," Kriss responded.

The Bell Rings

"Oh my Ra, I'm free!" Kriss yelled, rejoicing the end of that horrible day.

Marik was waiting for her when she went through the door.

"Since when does your dad care?" Duke asked her.

"Go away asshole, I'm free and I'm going home away from all the people who hate me, not including Ishizu and Odion…" Kriss said.

"Nice," Duke said.

"Thank you, I think…" Kriss responded.

"Don't forget we have to go to counseling tomorrow

Duke reminded her.

"I don't wanna go… I'm gonna see if I can stay home tomorrow," Kriss told him.

Seto stepping front of her, blocking her way.

"Don't' forget that you said you'd shut me up, go ahead, tomorrow, after school, I'll be waiting," He told her.

"I look forward to it," Kriss growled.

She continued going to her dad's car.

"What the hell was taking so long?" He asked as she got in.

"I'm agreed to kick the shit out of Kaiba and shut him up tomorrow," Kriss said happily.

Marik shook his head.

"You're going to get in trouble."

"Last I knew, you wouldn't care!" Kriss smirked.

"Well I do now, does that count for anything?" he asked, turning on their street, (They either talk slow or live close by…)

"No, you're a little too late," Kriss told him.

"And another thing, was it just me or were you fighting with your brother too?" He asked.

"Yep! I don't get along with anybody!" Kriss admitted happily as she reclined.

"Damn, it's starting to snow…" Marik observed.

"I hate the snow…" Kriss said.

"You hate everything…" Marik told her.

"That's true…" Kriss agreed, then she got really happy, "Maybe there'll be a snow day tomorrow!" Kriss hoped.

"Maybe…" Marik said.

**Well, there ya go. She hates everything! She said it herself! The scary part is that Marik cares O.o, creepy! The next chapter's gonna be good! Trust me. Haluciations!**


	20. The 'Magical' Snowday

**Chapter Twenty – The 'Magical' Snow Day**

**Crummy title, yes I know… If it doesn't snow in Domino… well….TOO BAD! It does now, I said so. Also, I'm on Spring Break and I hope to finish it before school starts again, also, Amanda person dude, person, humanoid, (O.o Emilie moment) I tend to update often so keep checking!**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on Last**

**Chapter Twenty- The 'Magical' Snow Day**

Kriss set her alarm clock earlier and got up at six, which was fifteen whole minutes earlier, gasp!

Kriss crept downstairs so she could watch the cancellations on the T.V. Again, killing her dreams, the fifth stair creaked rather loudly.

Marik poked his head out of his room.

"What are you doing, Kid?" He asked.

"Going downstairs, what does it look like?" Kriss snapped back, than she sighed. She was so used to snapping at her dad that she forgot that he was now being nice to her.

"Why? Your schools cancelled the school day," Marik informed her.

"Really?" Kriss asked in astonishment.

"Yeah, didn't you take a look outside, it's like a friggin' blizzard," Marik said, before retreating back into his room.

"Oh…" Kriss said, going back upstairs. She looked out her window. It was really dark, as there were no street lightsback there, behind their next-door-neighbor, it just opened up into a gigantic field that if Kriss had to guess, was about three miles long.

But even in that darkness that eerily shone, (can darkness shine?) Kriss could clearly see the thick heavy snow flakes that were blowing around. Kriss opened the window. The wind was blowing away from the window so no snow got in. Kriss peered down and could see that the snow was already deep and getting deeper.

Kriss squeaked with excitement and jumped back on her bed. She wasn't sure why she hadgotten excited aboutthat; she hated the snow. Probably because it reminded her of Thorn. They'd always play in the snow together. Kriss thought about this and before she fully fell back asleep a tear slowly leaked out and quickly disappeared into her pillow.

A little while later she woke up again. She glanced at the clock, it was only eight now. Kriss rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Then she decided to get up. She got dressed into her beige cargo pants and one of her ten or so black sleeveless'. Ishizu was bad at getting clothes for her…

Kriss sighed again and flopped on her bed. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. Well, she got her wish. Now what was she going to do? Kriss sighed yet again and rolled off her bed. She crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it against the wall. She caught it and threw it again.

Then she got bored again and threw it in the trash. She sat on her bed and sighed again. She got up and opened her window. She grabbed her card off her desk and looked at it. It reminded her so much of Thorn and made her realize how much she had changed.

A gust of wind swept the snow below her. It was still blowing away form the window. A sudden gust changed directions and blew the card out of Kriss' hands and swept it through the window.

"Hey! Bring that back you thieving wind!" Kriss cried as she jumped out the window, landed on her feet, and took off after the card.

She wanted that back. It was the sign that told her that she'd made the right choice by leaving her mom's house. Unfortunately, it didn't look like Black Fang _wanted_ to come back as he blew farther and farther away.

Kriss sloshed through the snow. Oblivious to the freezing temperature gnawing at her ankles. Socks weren't important and she constantly had shoes on for this reason. The sleeveless however, was a _very_ bad choice as Kriss quickly found out. The wind was blowing and it was impossible to see more than a yard ahead of her own face. Kriss knew that it was hopeless but she refused to go back anyways. It's not like she could _find_ the house even if she wanted to…

Kriss trudged onward into the freezing wind. She was very close to considering it a blizzard. The winds were whipping at her as she realized that she had wandered into the field near her house.

_'Oh great…'_ She thought. If she was in the field than it was possible that she would be lost until the blizzard stopped and she didn't know if she would last that long.

Suddenly she spotted the card sticking out of the snow. She knelt down. Sitting in the snow she picked up the card. As soon as it was in her hand, it blew away again.

"No!" Kriss yelled. To her that was Thorn, and Thorn deserted her again. Just like everyone else in her life.

She decided that was it. She had nothing left. Of course she did always have her music, but without Rex it was useless, she needed a drummer and Rex was pretty damned good.

She collapsed in the snow and just laid there. After a few minutes something appeared in front of her face. She looked up and saw Black Fang. She gasped. It was her card! But it was the actual wolf! It was like what she had seen when she went with Rex to the Duel City Tournament. Kriss sat up, the icy needles biting at her face.

"Thorn," She whispered softly.

Black Fang glared at her and ran away.

"No!" Kriss said as she chased him. She could just barely see his tail soaring behind him as she raced ahead.

The snow gave out and her foot caught on a root, sending Kriss sprawling into the grass. Kriss lay there in the freezing snow, hoping she would just die and get it over with.

She got up and started walking again. Up ahead a fuzzy shape appeared. It was really big. She knew it wasn't a tree because it was golden. As it started clearing, she could see that it looked like a bird. Its golden wings stretched magnificently.

Kriss gasped and crept closer. It was looking her direction. She got closer and the thing before her took her breath away. Black Fang had been enough. This just added to the mayhem.

It was Ra standing before her.

"Uh…" Kriss started.

Ra looked at her with piercing gold eyes that matched his feathers and talons.

Kriss looked at them. They were huge weapons that looked like they could rip her in half if Ra was provoked enough.

"You have come."

Kriss snapped her head up. She didn't know that Ra could talk.

"Oh yes, thy mighty one," Kriss sneered.

Ra gave her a disapproving look. Kriss didn't care one bit. She glared at him as she remembered her dream and tried not to cry. The pain was so deep and it was all because of the one that stood before her.

"I know you hurt," He said.

"You know nothing," Kriss growled.

She turned around and tried to get her bearings. Ra walked up beside her.

"You don't know the way, I made sure of it."

"Then I'll wait it out," Kriss told him as she wheeled around.

"I will make it last."

"I will kill you."

"You can't kill me, I am a God."

"Then I'll die trying," Kriss responded darkly.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Ra asked gently.

"You sound like my dad, a.k.a. a psychiatrist," Kriss told him again.

"You need to do something, if your mom finds out how you are, she'll kill you," Ra said, looking out ahead.

Kriss looked at him.

"No, I'm more easily provoked now, I'm tougher, I'm stronger, there's no way she could beat me in this state," Kriss reminded him.

"But you have nothing to fight for, your heart is empty, it's a black hole. A void full of pain and suffering," Ra said, not taking his eyes away from his frontal vision.

"That doesn't always mean anything!" Kriss said, folding her arms across her chest.

"It always means something. Love is what keeps the human alive."

"How would you know? You're not human! You have no idea what I've been through! What I've suffered!" Kriss cried, her eyes wetting.

"I control what you go through," Ra said, turning is attention to her and staring into her eyes, "I needed to do this; you'll see later, it'll all play out in the end."

"Yeah! Play! That's what you do huh? You get bored one day and go, 'Oh! I'm gonna kill Thorn today and make Kriss miserable!' Then you get bored the next day, 'Oh! I got it! Now I'm going to turn her entire family against her! Most of it already hates her anyways but that's okay! More hate won't kill her, unfortunately!'" Kriss shouted at him.

"I didn't turn your entire family against you! You have your dad! I gave you him!" Ra shouted back.

"Marik couldn't care less about me! He's only helping me because he wants to get rid of the fucking curse!" Kriss yelled, but she didn't stop there, "No one truly cares about me! I'm hated by the entire world! And you too! Got that! As soon as I get back to the house, you'll see me in Hell," Kriss promised.

"You have changed Kriss Ishtar! You are completely different! No wonder everyone hates you!" Ra shouted.

Kriss was taken aback. She hadn't expected him to match her fire. She expected another riddle that would pick at her brain and eat her alive.

"I just want my friends back. I've never had true friends like Thorn and Rex," Kriss said, focusing her attention on the ground.

"You had Tommy and James, they were your friends," Ra said in a softer tone.

"Yeah right! They used me to sell their music and make records…" Kriss said, "Just give me one of my friends back and I'll quit whining…" Kriss said.

"I can't do that," Ra told her.

"I know…" A tear escaped and Kriss collapsed to the ground, kneeling. Her chest was heaving as all the pain she'd suffered the past week came gushing out.

"Please, just stop the torment!" Kriss sobbed, feeling weaker than she ever had in her life.

"It depends on your actions," Ra said, walking away.

Kriss looked up and saw him disappearing into the swirling snow.

"No!" Kriss got up and chased after him. The wind was whipping at her face and the snow was dampening her hair as it spun around her face.

"Ra! Wait!" Kriss called.

The figure kept moving. Kriss ran after it. However fast she ran, Ra was always two feet in front of her. This went on until Kriss had had enough and dove at him, missing and crashing to the ground beside him. He stopped.

"I need something, anything! I need a reason to live!" Kriss sobbed into the snow, the tears flowing freely now.

"It will come in time," Ra told her.

"Everything seems "to come in time" I hate it! Time needs to die!" Kriss screamed, and then was overtaken by great heaves of a cry that she needed to have for a long time.

Kriss got up to her knees and stared at the ground, melting the snow with her salty tears.

"Get up," Ra ordered.

Kriss didn't respond.

"I said get up!" Ra said louder.

Kriss slowly made her legs move. They felt like they were full of jell-o.

"Maybe I should just end it for you," Ra said.

"Yeah, keep thinking that way, but I know you won't do it," Kriss said.

"You're right."

"And it was just because I said that…"

"You got it," Ra said, walking again.

Kriss spun around, "Wait!" she called after him.

Again, Ra kept walking.

"Give me a reason to live! And don't say that the answer will come in time because that's really starting to bug me!" Kriss shouted after him.

"You want a reason? Here!" Ra shouted, turning around and raising his foot. A piece of cardboard flew from it and he turned and continued walking. Kriss picked it up. It was her card! She looked at Black Fang lovingly and felt something on the back. She flipped it over and saw an engraving in cool handwriting:

_Remember Who You Are_

Kriss was amazed. Ra had given her the sign that she had screamed at him for. That message could not have anymore effect then it did then. She needed to be who she was. She wasn't a weak little coward! She was a tough bitch!

Kriss narrowed her eyes and silently thanked him. Then she looked around again. She still had no clue where to go and the wind was still whipping at sixty miles an hour. Kriss sighed and started walking in a random direction. Then she stepped on something.

Kriss looked at her feet and saw a rock. It was about the size of her fist, but even more peculiar about it was that it had an arrow on it. Kriss smirked. Ra was on her side now, but she still thought that it was hoax or something.

Kriss changed her direction and kept walking, feeling a lot more stable and knowing of where she was going. After a long time of walking Kriss could see the giant blur that was her house. Kriss squeaked with joy and sprinted towards it.

Kriss quickly climbed the vine support that everyone in the house hated except for Ishizu and was in her room again. She was chilled to the bone and her hair was soaking wet. She had goose bumps everywhere and was chattering uncontrollably. But she was happy to be in her room again.

She saw that her door was open. It was shut when she left. She crept out and peeked down the stairs. Marik was sitting at the table with a mug of hot cocoa. He noticed her immediately. He bolted up and strode over to the foot of the stairs.

"Where the hell were you!" He shouted.

"Why?" Kriss asked, "Were you concerned?" Kriss laughed. She was starving, freezing, hated, and wet, but she felt a lot better than she had in days.

"Yes! You're all wet, what happened?" Marik asked.

"I had a little encounter…" Kriss grinned.

"For three hours?" Marik pressed.

"That was only three? Jeez… it felt like four…" Kriss thought about it.

Marik scoffed.

"So, what did you do?" Kriss asked, changing the subject.

"Worry about you!"

"For three hours?" Kriss asked.

"Don't get smart with me! And change out of those clothes, you're going to get sick."

"And just when I thought you couldn't care more…"

**That chapter was good! I liked it, don't know about you, tell me what you thought! I want more reviews! RECRUITS! XDDDD**

**- Kriss**


	21. Granite Shattered

**Chapter Twenty One – Granite Shattered**

**Wow! Almost there! I can feel it! –Dances- I'm on Spring Break right now and I hope to finish the story before I go back to school in a week. I'll be working hard!**

**Oh, and to new person that has the word Fairy in the name, no, Marik is not 15 or 16. He is seventeen, why I typed that one out, I have no clue…**

**Disclaimer – Ditto on last**

**Chapter Twenty One – Granite Shattered**

Kriss popped out of bed and quickly got ready. She was going to walk today. Kriss got into her stupid blue uniform for what seemed like the hundredth time and waltzed out her bedroom door.

Kriss strutted down the stairs. All comments would bounce off of her today. She was granite. She was stable. She was tough. She was a warrior.

"Are you walking today, Kid?" Marik asked.

"Yep!" Kriss replied.

Kriss made herself some toast again and flew out the door. She liked walking; it gave her time to think. Then again, that's all that she did at home so there's no concern there. She felt like complete shit but that was okay by her.

Kriss went up the stairs and maneuvered through the halls and went into the classroom. Seto instantly noticed her arrival. He could also see that she was happier than before. She also looked a lot paler.

"Oh shit, she's happy," Kriss heard him mutter.

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Kriss responded. She took her seat next to his. Duke walked in.

Kriss noticed that he was avoiding eye contact with her as he sat down and was suddenly interested in the chalkboard that had nothing written on it.

"You know Kaiba," Kriss began, "If I were you, I'd stop staring at the doorway until I came in, people will start to get ideas," The last two words were whispered and Seto went a light shade of pink.

"At least I'm not sick as a dog that's completely unaware that, yeah, people do get sick rather easily," Seto nodded.

Kriss rolled her eyes and sat down. She didn't really feel like fighting, in fact, all she wanted to do right now was sleep. She felt like shit but kinda didn't care at the moment. She suddenly looked as though she heart was torn in two. Kriss felt really guilty about being mad at Rex. It wasn't his fault, it was Carmen's.

Wait a minute… It was Carmen's, not Rex's. Kriss squeezed her eyes shut and sighed heavily as she leaned her head back. Now she _really_ felt like shit. In fact, she was more than shit; she was being a complete bitch.

Kriss got out her laptop and turned it on. Instead of going into the usual school files she clicked on the internet browser. Rex wasn't on. Kriss sighed again and closed it gently. She slowly got lost in thought. The teacher walked in.

Kriss shook herself and forced herself to focus on school, no matter how boring and easy it was.She was granite. Kriss took a lot more notes than usual as a technique to ignore Kaiba and Joey's stupid remarks.

Then one hit her like a brick.

"At least I have friends, she acts like hers died!"

Kriss felt a yank at her heart and held back the tears that threatened to spill. She gritted her teeth and tried to ignore them the best she could. Joey however, noticed.

"Hey, look y'all, now she's a crybaby!" He whispered. Tristan and Seto snickered. The teacher shot them disapproving looks.

Kriss glared at Joey without moving her head and indeed looked very menacing. Joey however, took this as an opportunity to crack more jokes.

"Told ya there was a way to break her, did someone die, Kriss? Are you in pain?" Joey laughed, "Must be hard to not have any friends!"

Kriss growled softly.

"Look Wheeler, another dog friend for you!" Seto smirked.

"Shut up," Kriss whispered.

The teacher handed out a sheet for them to complete in class and let them work in groups for the rest of the day.

Joey, Tristan, Yugi, Tea, Duke, and Bakura formed a group immediately. Kriss and Seto were the only ones working by themselves.

This however, bothered Kriss not at all. She liked the solitude and needed the time to recuperate. She was about to lose it. She might as well just kill Wheeler and move on. And while she was it, she might as well kill Kaiba too… She kept thinking of all the people she should kill and completely forgot about the assignment.

When the teacher called for them back before the bell rang it knocked Kriss out of her little fantasy with a nice little shock. Luckily she had almost all of it done. Kriss hastily filled in the rest and passed it up. Seto failed to overlook this.

"Are you asking for a bad grade?" He chuckled.

"For your information, I was being occupied by a lovely fantasy of killing you!" Kriss shot back.

Duke looked over from the little cluster of desks that he was working at.

"We were supposed to go to counseling you know…"

"Too bad for them," Kriss said lamely.

The bell rang and Kriss couldn't be happier. She decided to procrastinate going home and was going to find a new route. Nah, she changed her mind at her locker. She was going to drop her stuff off and just sorta wander around aimlessly. That sounded like fun, not.

Nevertheless, Kriss did anyways. She quickly went home and ran up to her room. Marik looked up the stairs. Kriss came back down with nothing with her.

"Where are you going without your guitar? You just got back from school," Marik asked.

"I'm just going to wander around, annoy people and do whatever I damn please," Kriss told him, then walked briskly past.

Marik walked with her out the door.

"Annoy people? You do that anyways!" He joked.

Kriss rolled her eyes; she was in no mood for joking.

Marik gave a weak little laugh and cleared his throat.

"I'll go with you if you want."

"Suit yourself; I'm pretty much just going to be walking."

"How long do you plan on walking?"

Kriss shrugged.

"'Till I get bored I guess."

They walked in silence for awhile. Kriss didn't have any wish for communicating.

"What's been with you lately? Yesterday I couldn't find you at all and today you're practically happy!" Marik broke the silence.

"I wonder why the snow is already melted," Kriss observed as though she hadn't even heard Marik at all.

That was it. Marik ran ahead and blocked her path, forcing her to stop.

"What is it, Kid? You act so weird, even for a teen…" Marik said softly.

"Gee, thanks, now I'm gonna answer ya…" Kriss said.

Marik shook his head.

"Tell me what's wrong!"

"Ra took Thorn away and he has no intention of giving him back! Carmen is out to get me! Duke deserted me! Ishizu is mad at me for being mad at Rex! You tell me what's wrong!" Kriss shouted, and then she swiftly walked past him and continued on her way.

Marik sighed.

"Why do you always blame everything on Ra?" Marik asked.

"Because he practically owned up to it yesterday…" Kriss told him.

"Is that what happened yesterday? Did you talk to Ra?" Marik asked, intrigued.

"More like fought…" Kriss corrected, "I got lost out in the field yesterday," She began, stopping; "My card had blown away. I caught up to it and then it blew away again. I ran into Ra and told me that I'd changed. He said that I was a lot different than when I'd run away. That confused me, off course I'd be different, I'm older. He then began to walk away from me. I begged him to give me Thorn back. He kept refusing and saying something to the effect that he couldn't do that."

Kriss stopped suddenly. She still didn't understand that, he had taken him away, why couldn't he give him back?

Marik looked at her and responded,

"I'm going to show you why."

Kriss gave him a confused look and he turned and started to walk away. Kriss followed, the whole time wondering what it could be that he wanted to show her.

They passed by the alley and turned down a road. It was one that Kriss had never boon down before. They turned another corner and found themselves in another alley. When they reached the beginning of it Kriss looked to the right.

There was a house there. There were two little kids playing outside. But the worst part was that they were playing with a dog. A big, black dog. Thorn.

"Thorn!" Kriss shouted. Marik clamped his hand over her mouth and yanked her into the alley before Thorn could see.

"What the Hell was that for!" Kriss yelled.

Marik pinned her against the wall.

"Thorn doesn't know who you are!"

"How the hell do you assume that!"

"Yesterday, Ra said it was impossible because he had already given him back! I convinced him that you had suffered enough and needed Thorn. It took awhile to make him see that. I'd been trying since Thorn died. He gave him back yesterday, but you still don't fully have your best friend back. Look at him," Marik commanded.

Kriss sadly peered around the corner. Thorn was chasing a stick that the younger of the two girls had thrown. He caught it and trotted back, tail held high.

"Good catch, Charlie!" The older congratulated.

"Charlie?" Kriss asked.

Marik ignored her and continued.

"He's happy right now! He doesn't know that he died. You can bring him back though, but! I warn you! If you bring him back to his senses, you might _not_ get your friend back. Remember, if he sees you, it will also bring back the memories of what happened to him. It might scar him for the rest of his life," Marik gave her a serious look as he let her down; "This is where you must make a choice! You either let him live this new life in peace and happiness, or, you bring him back to his senses and risk _not_ getting him back."

Kriss looked around the corner sadly again. Then she looked into Marik's violet eyes. Marik could see it in her eyes that she was hurting. They shone with pain and suffering. He knew that this was a hard choice for her.

Kriss blinked and looked away. A tear fell to the ground.

"I'll give him his new life. His life isn't worth it to get mine back."

Marik nodded at her decision. He knew that this would haunt her for the rest of her life if she made the wrong choice. He could see know that she held her friends very close. She only wanted what was best for Thorn.

Marik began to leave. Kriss stayed there. She slid on her feet and finally ended up sitting on the ground.Marik left her. He knew that she wanted to be left alone.

Kriss sighed and got up. She shakily stood and jumped up onto the fire escape. She slowly climbed up and went onto the roof. She didn't have the slightest clue what the building was that was currently underneath her.

Kriss transformed and sat on the edge of the roofing, watching Thorn. He wanted to make sure that nothing happened to him.

Glacier stayed there until they went inside; even then he still remained outside, lost in thought.

The Next Morning

Kriss awoke as light filtered in through her window. She looked at her alarm clock. It was a little after six so she decided to get up anyways.

She got dressed in silence and walked downstairs. Kriss walked right through the hallway and strait through the door. She walked on the familiar path to school and was surprisingly confronted by Duke at the door to the building.

"You were right," Duke said softly.

"Huh?" Kriss asked, she was still lost in thought and hadn't heard what Duke had said.

"You were right, mom is a complete bitch. I found the gun in her closet. There were five bullets missing." Duke told her.

Kriss was taken aback. She hadn't been expecting this.

"Go on, say it," Duke told her.

"Say what?" Kriss inquired, confused.

"Say, 'I told ya so' go on," Duke urged.

"I'm not going to. Sure I did tell you, but, why would you believe me? She's our mom, and you'd always been trusting of her. You never thought that she'd betray you like that," Kriss explained.

Duke looked up. Now it was his turn to be shocked. That was the last thing that he'd expected to hear from Kriss.

"So you aren't mad?" He asked tentatively.

"I'm furious at you!" Kriss blurted out.

"I don't blame you there. I deserted you at your time of need," Duke looked down, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, but right now I'm in a giant jam!" Kriss said.

"What sort of jam? Like, you need to decide something? That sort of jam?" Duke asked.

"Thorn is back, but if he sees me then it'll bring him back but he might not be the same and then again, if I let him live the life that he's found than he's going to have to live the name 'Charlie,'" Kriss blurted out at a million miles an hour.

Duke looked her.

"Huh?" He asked.

Kriss scoffed.

"I'll explain after school."

When the first bell rang, Kriss was in a daze. Seto took her advice and stopped making it look like he had a crush on her. Joey was currently very occupied with Duel Monsters and took no notice of Kriss, until she took out her card for reassurance before the bell rang.

"Watchya got there? A card? I didn't know that you duel!" Joey was amazed, but then again, that's not saying much.

Kriss gave him a look.

"What is it? I'll trade you for it!" Joey gasped when he saw it.

"Hands off, it's not for sale!" Kriss snapped.

This attracted Seto's attention.

"I'll buy it off of you," He announced.

"What did I just say!" Kriss shouted.

"Why is it any use to you? You don't even duel!" Tristan butted in.

"Who said anything about dueling?" Kriss smirked.

"Um, that _is_ a Duel Monsters card, and it _is_ used for dueling," Joey told her.

"This card means more to me than you could ever even to begin to imagine!" Kriss told him.

The bell rang. Kriss started to gather her things and got up.

"How so?" Yugi asked.

"This card told me that I made the right choice by running away, I then almost lost it because Ra didn't think that I was worthy anymore," Kriss explained.

Duke then rescued her from the mayhem of questions and announced,

"C'mon Kriss, you wanted to talk to me."

Kriss was more thankful of the fact that she was getting away from all of these freaks, than she was of the fact that her and her brother were getting along again.

Duke and Kriss walked outside into the afternoon sun.

"So, what again was happening?" He asked.

Kriss explained in more detail than she had earlier. She then started going a different way.

"Where are you going?" asked Duke.

"To make sure that nothing happens to my friend," Kriss yelled back.

Duke shrugged and continued on his way.

Kriss continued going her way and went straight to the building where she had watched over her friend before. Again she repeated what she'd done last night and just sat silently.

The Next Day

Kriss got up and flowed with the river of monotony. It was a never-ending cycle. Get up, go to school, go watch Thorn, go home, then off to bed to get up and do it all over again. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Kriss sighed. Her life had lost the excitement. There was no more danger. Well, actually, there was still a huge danger. She just avoided it longer and longer as the days dragged on.

Kriss sat upon the rooftop as usual and stared off into space. Today Taylor, Lauren and """""Charlie""""" were playing hide-and-seek.

'_Pointless game'_ Kriss thought. _'Then again, if they ever needed to hide, they have the previous knowledge of what makes a good hiding place'_ She mused silently. Kriss sighed. She then heard footsteps of an approaching person.

"Hey, Kriss!" She heard Duke call.

Kriss looked at him,

"What?" She asked, then she shifted her attention back to the three that were hiding from each other.

"What the hell have you been doing all day? Whenever I try to call you your dad says that you're busy!" Duke shouted back. Then he shook his head and climbed the fire escape.

He sat next to her. He looked at her face and saw where she was staring. He focused his attention on the same spot.

"Thorn. I need to protect him…" Kriss said, still staring at the sisters and her previous best friend.

Kriss took a deep breath and shot it upward into her hair, making her bangs dance around.

Duke could kinda understand. She had lost all of her friends in a matter of a few days. She had been completely alone in a world that constantly surrounded her with hate and misunderstanding. Duke's eyes shone with sorrow as he looked at her again. Kriss had buried her head in her knees and her back was heaving as though she were crying.

"Kriss?" Duke asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

Kriss shook her head, not removing it. Then she brought it up and rested her chin on her knees. Her eyes were wet and there wet spots below her eyes on her upper cheek.

A soft breeze swept through, causing Duke and Kriss' hair to stray behind them.

"_I've been shattered, look at me, I'm in tatters. This town's full of, money grabbers, go ahead, bite the big apple, don't mind the maggots. Uh huh. My brain's been battered," _Kriss sang softly.

"You could say that again," Duke agreed, turning his focus back on Thorn, a.k.a., "Charlie."

"I don't know what to do," Kriss told him.

"How so?" Duke asked.

"I can't live like this Duke; I've got to do something… Anything, I just want to kill something!" Kriss shouted, then buried her head back into her knees.

"You made your choice, now you just have to live with it…" Duke started.

Kriss scoffed.

"Sure, live with it… Maybe I should take the risk of scarring Thorn for life and try to get my best friend back," Kriss mused.

"You have more than just one best friend that you can try to get back," Duke told her.

Kriss looked away.

"Rex is probably mad at me now… I've been mad at _him_ for too long…" Kriss said.

"Well, if you're willing to risk Thorn, than what's the chance in apologizing to Rex and seeing if he still wants to be your friend?" Duke asked.

"You're starting to sound like frickin' Tea…" Kriss said tonelessly.

Duke chuckled; he knew how much she hated her. It was pretty understandable however.

"Well, even so, even Tea can have some good advice sometimes," Duke explained.

"Tea _can't_ have any good advice," Kriss exasperated.

"Remember, friendship is Tea's area of expertise," Duke reminded her.

"Yeah, she lets you know that in every single sentence she says."

Kriss sighed again. Taylor and Lauren going inside caught her attention. It wasn't even five-thirty yet; maybe they were having an early dinner.

They quickly came back outside and started walking away, Thorn close at their heels.

"Oh, got to go, they're going somewhere," Kriss said, jumping up.

"Dude, you're like a damn _stalker_," Duke told her.

"Yeah I know, but I'm not a _dangerous_ stalker!" Kriss told him with a grin.

Duke sighed and followed her to the fire escape. Kriss slid down with the balance of a pro skateboarder and took off at a run so she wouldn't lose the trio.

Duke watched her as she ran wondering to himself about her. She confused him to no end and there was a lot about her that he didn't know.

Kriss panted noiselessly as she ran. Running came naturally to her. As she ran she thought about what Duke had said to her about Rex. Was it possible that he _did_ still want to be her friend? She had been so mean to him. Kriss slowed down and had a confused look on her face.

She gave herself a mental slap; she would have actually hit herself but she didn't want to give it away that she was, in Duke's words, "Stalking someone."

The Next Day, After School

Kriss walked out of the building. Time to break the routine. It needed to be done. She couldn't live on only one meal a day anyways, though she was giving it a hell of a try.

Duke caught up with her.

"Going to watch Thorn?"

"Nope!" Kriss responded happily.

"What?" Duke paused, confused yet again by his half sister.

"I decided to take your advice about Rex, maybe he doesn't hate my guts," Kriss said.

Duke looked shocked. Since when did she ever take his advice? Since when did she take _anybody's_ advice for that matter?

"Okay then, good luck with that," Duke encouraged, than turned and jogged up to Yugi and the gang.

Kriss took the street that led to the alley. It felt weird going a different way than she was used to.

Rex wasn't at his apartment when she went there.

_'Where could he be?'_ She asked herself.

She started walking the way that she had come from, hoping to catch him. No luck. Kriss sighed and stepped into her house.

"Holy shit, what the hell are you doing here?" Odion asked.

"Um, I live here stupid," Kriss scoffed, then proceeded up to her room.

She changed out of her uniform and prepared to leave again. Marik was waiting for her at the door.

"What changed your mind?" He asked.

"Changed my mind on the matter of what?" Kriss responded.

"Breaking your routine, what if something happens to Thorn?" Marik pointed out.

"Than that's their punishment for stealing him from me," Kriss said coolly.

"I dunno," Marik said, "Where are you going anyways?"

"To find Rex, I've decided to stop being a bitch…"

"Oh my Ra, it's a miracle," Odion interrupted.

"Ha, ha" Kriss said sarcastically, then she rolled her eyes.

Marik scoffed and continued, "Good luck, you hurt him too you know."

He left.

Kriss followed him with her eyes, confused. She shrugged and proceeded out the door.

Kriss walked slowly down the street. She wasn't in the mood for a fight so she hoped that she didn't run into Carmen on her escapade to find Rex.

For once, she got her wish. But she still got bugged, one way or another.

She was almost at Rex's when Duke rolled up in his car, a girl in the back.

"Hey, Kriss!" He called out.

Kriss gave him an, 'I'm busy, go away asshole,' look and looked away.

"No, sis, I need your help!" He pleaded.

"Fine!" Kriss shouted as she went over to the vehicle.

"I need to watch Becca," He said, nodding to the young girl in the back.

"Who the hell is that?" Kriss asked.

"Um, Rebecca Hawkins, I need you to watch her!" He repeated urgently.

"Why would I do that?" Kriss responded.

"C'mon Duke, isn't there anyone else?" Rebecca pleaded.

"Shush, she's the best for the job," Duke told her.

"What job are we talking about? I know you're not implying that "baby-sit" this brat!" Kriss glared.

"I'm old enough to watch myself, thank you!" Rebecca said.

"Well how old are you kid?" Kriss asked.

"I'm nine!" She answered.

"Yeah, see Duke, she's old enough!" Kriss argued.

"No she's not!" Duke shot back.

"I was living _on my own_ at her age!" Kriss pointed out.

"You ran away! That was your choice!"

Rebecca gave a loud sigh in the backseat.

Duke leaned out of the car and said softly,

"I'll give you fifty bucks to take her off my hands for a few days."

"Only fifty? I don't need any money, but for future references, fifty is _not_ enough for a few days," Kriss informed him.

"Fine! What do you want? I'll show you where mom is," He offered.

"I don't need you to tell me where she is, she seems to find me on her own," Kriss said.

Duke looked around to make sure that no one was listening.

"I saw the new exhibit in the museum, there's something there that might intrigue you," He told her.

Kriss rested on the car.

"Tell me more."

"I can't right here, but I promise that I will take you there and I'll help you out in the little war against mom if you watch Becca for a few days," Duke bargained.

"Deal," Kriss said.

"Alright!" Duke looked back at Rebecca, "You're going to be staying with my sister for a few days, okay?" He asked sweetly.

"No way! Why would I want to stay with this street punk?" She answered.

Kriss glared at the little bitch, she leaned in closer to Duke.

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?" Kriss asked.

"Oh shut up!" Duke tried again, "Becca, seriously, you couldn't be safer with anyone else but Kriss," He told her.

"Are you sure?" Rebecca asked.

"Trust me."

"Why would she want to do that?" Kriss asked jokingly.

"Will you just shut up over there?" Duke shouted.

Kriss rolled her eyes.

"Drop her off later," Kriss said, walking away.

"I can't! Why can't she go with you?" Duke asked.

"Because I'm doing very important business that she does not need to know about!" Kriss snapped.

"Here, how about this? I take her stuff to your house and she goes with you?" Duke suggested.

"What did I just say?" Kriss shot back.

"Do you want my help against mom or not?" Duke asked.

Kriss glared at him.

"Fine, but if some stupid punk tries to get her, I'm letting him!" Kriss yelled.

Rebecca got out of the car unwillingly and got behind Kriss, looking wary the whole way.

"What? Are you afraid the boogeyman's gonna get you?" Kriss teased.

"No! There's no such thing as the boogeyman! For your information, my grandfather happens to be a famous professor and is doing secret work and there are a lot of bad guys who want that information!" Rebecca snapped.

"What's his name?" Kriss asked.

"Professor Hawkins!" Rebecca answered.

"Of all the irony," Kriss muttered, "If he's so famous than why haven't I ever heard of him?" Kriss asked.

Rebecca opened her mouth but Duke cut in.

"Just shut up and quit fighting!"

Kriss glared at him and continued on her way, Rebecca followed.

"Duke better not ditch me again," Kriss mumbled.

"Why would he do that?" Rebecca asked.

Kriss looked at her.

"None of your business."

Kriss tuerned a different direction. Rebecca was silent the rest of the way which made Kriss a bit more happy.

Kriss turned down her alley and sat on her dumpster.

"Why are we here?" Rebecca asked.

"Why don't you shut up?" Kriss shot back.

After awhile footsteps were heard. Kriss looked around the corner. Just a passerby. Kriss leaned back against the wall and sighed.

"This is boring, can we just go?" Rebecca whined.

"No!" Kriss shouted, "I need to find someone."

"Well, how are you supposed to find him if you're just sitting here?"

"How did you know I was looking for a guy?" Kriss questioned.

Rebecca shrugged and fell silent. Kriss looked at her watch; five-thirty.

Kriss jumped off the dumpster and Rebecca followed.

They walked to Rex's apartment. Kriss knocked on the door. This time she could hear someone inside. _'It better not just be Jayvee, I'm gonna kill that cat,'_ Kriss thought.

But then Rex's voice floated through the door.

"Who is it?"

"Kriss."

Rex paused and then opened the door.

"What do you want?" He snapped he spotted Rebecca, "Who's the kid?"

"Rebecca, Duke suckered me into watching her for a few days," Kriss scoffed.

Rex chuckled.

"You don't seem like the babysitter type," He responded.

"That's what I told Duke…"

Jayvee peeked around the corner. He let out a happy cry and bolted towards Kriss.

"Yeaaaa!" Kriss shouted as she jumped back from the charging cat.

Jayvee went up to her and started purring and rubbing against her.

Kriss bent down.

"Wow, would you look at that, he's not mad anymore," Kriss stated blankly.

"Yeah, we've both missed you I guess."

Kriss looked up at Rex.

"The sad part is," Kriss stood up fully, though she was still shorter than Rex, "That I came to apologize, I shouldn't have taken out my anger at you; it wasn't your fault that Thorn died…"

Rex looked shocked. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't this.

"I'm sorry too, next time I'll actually think before I talk to your mom," Rex joked.

Kriss snickered.

"So I guess we're cool now right?" She asked.

"Are you done being a bitch?" He asked.

"Only to you I am, I've got to save my bitchyness for other people that deserve it," Kriss laughed.

Rex laughed too.

Rebecca tugged at Kriss' sleeve.

"Can we _go_ now?" She asked impatiently.

"You can, go on, get lost, literally," Kriss told her.

"Why are you so mean?" Rebecca asked.

"Because I hate you!" Kriss yelled.

"That's not what I think, I think that you're just emotionally challenged," Rebecca snapped.

"…………" Said Kriss.

She glared at her.

"I am not emotionally challenged!" Kriss yelled, "Say that again and I'll kill you!"

Rex stared at her.

"I think you have your work cut out for ya."

"How the hell would you assume that?" Kriss asked.

"From what I see, she doesn't want to be around you and vice versa, you can just leave her at your place for the time you have to watch her," Rex explained.

Kriss thought about it.

"True," She concluded.

She leaned in closer so Rebecca wouldn't hear.

"Thorn's alive," She whispered.

Rex's eyes widened.

"What? How? Is that possible?" He stammered.

"Yeah, I'll call you later and explain," Kriss said hastily. She slapped herself.

"Oh mighty Ra!" She exclaimed, "What if something happened to him? Oh shit! I've gotta go!" Kriss told him.

"Um, okay?" Rex said as Kriss rushed down the hall, Rebecca willingly followed.

Kriss ran to her spot and saw that Thorn and the kids. They seemed to be fine. Kriss let out a sigh of relief.

"What are we doing up here?" Rebecca asked.

"Watching my friend, I used to do this every night, I'd go home from school, drop off my stuff and come here until I got tired," Kriss told her.

"Sounds boring," Rebecca concluded.

"It kinda was, but I knew I was helping, I have to make sure that nothing happens, that's my best friend out there, but he doesn't remember me…. He died," Kriss explained.

"If he died than he couldn't be over there right now!" Rebecca pointed out.

"Ra brought him back for me, but still at a price, he doesn't know who I am, thus, I technically didn't get him back," Kriss said.

"Oh," Rebecca said softly.

Kriss took a deep breath.

"C'mon, let's go," She said, jumping off the roof, onto the fire escape and than onto the ground.

"I can't get down!" Rebecca cried.

"Oh my Ra! You're frickin' kidding me!" Kriss yelled.

**O.o that was long! It's like nineteen pages on word! That was by far the longest chapter I've ever written! I'm so proud of myself! Oh and ftr, I put Rebecca in there so Kriss could have someone else to fight with to put more humor in the story. The emotionally challenged sequence is courtesy of Erika, she got bored one day in art…**

**-Kriss**

**P.S. R&R!**


	22. The War on Ice

**Chapter Twenty Two – The War on Ice**

**WAHA! I'm so excited, but seeings how that it's Friday night right now, I won't get this done by Monday…. And ftr, if you were wondering about Kriss' wolf thingy, (coughJUUSANGOUcough) It gets explained this chapter.**

**To FallenPunkAngel – Of course I will! Just give me you're e-mail address and we'll go over details later! Seeings how you didn't sign your review. X.x**

**Disclaimer: Ditto on last**

**Chapter Twenty Two – The War on Ice**

"But Kriss! I don't want to be by myself!" Rebecca whined.

Kriss cringed.

"Just shut up and be brave! I thought you don't believe in the boogeyman…" Kriss spat.

"I don't!"

"Then what the hell are you so afraid of!"

"I don't know!"

"Well you're retarded!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are! You're a retarded little weenie!"

"I am not!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"Are you positive?"

"YES!"

"Are you Rebecca?"

"Yes…"

"Are you retarded?"

"YES ALRIGHT!" Rebecca gasped.

Kriss scoffed.

"Idiot."

Rebecca jumped on Kriss' bed and sat there.

"What's your problem?" she asked.

"YOU!" Kriss shouted back.

"Well, I mean, you're really mean…"

"We've been through this, I hate you remember?"

"If you hate me so much than why am I at your house?"

"Because Duke is an asshole!"

"JUST SHUT UP AND GO TO BED!" Kriss heard Marik shout from the other room.

Kriss sighed.

"Just go to bed already…" She pointed down the stairs, "Over there."

"But-" Rebecca started.

"Just go, I have school tomorrow…" Kriss said in a less harsh tone and beckoned towards the door.

Rebecca reluctantly nodded and left.

Sometime Around Three A.M.

Rebecca slowly crept up the stairs. She had already taken into account that the fifth stair was a creaky one but she was too shaken up to remember that. So, just because that stair is mean, it creaked; rather loudly.

Kriss normally isn't a heavy sleeper, but this night had a special occasion.

_Thorn yelped as the lightning came at him, grabbing him around the middle. Glacier glared and pulled ahead; he needed to catch that cloud this time. Thorn couldn't be taken away again._

_ Ra laughed, nice and safe upon his superior cloud of doom. Glacier growled with as much energy as he could spare as he tried to gain on it._

_ The wind whistled in his ears and his heart pounded in his chest as Glacier's paws moved faster with each stride. The ground seemed to fly beneath his feet and the air tugged at his fur. The fur that normally hung over his eyes was kept up by the howling wind._

_ As Glacier neared the cliff he saw it earlier and stopped quicker. Across the gorge he saw another wolf. A big black wolf with many scars and blazing eyes. The cloud stopped and hovered above him. The big black wolf threw back his head and let out a tremendous howl that coursed through Glacier's body._

_ Glacier saw his chance and took a flying leap. He landed with little difficulty Black Fang took no hesitation to leap at him as soon as his feet touched ground. Glacier's eyes went ablaze and flames danced angrily inside, as fire spread throughout him. Hate; the never-ending cycle of life._

_ Glacier reared as Black Fang came at him. They collided and Glacier fell on his back. Black Fang slashed at his face as Glacier kicked up with his hind quarters, sending Black Fang flying. He tumbled into the gorge and Glacier stood triumphantly._

_ Glacier then focused his attention on the direction where the dark cloud went this time. Glacier ran ahead, ignoring any signs in his way. He stood before a forest of darkness. Glacier stepped inside and made his way through the thicket and underbrush._

_ Finding his way through the mess was pretty tricky. There were times when he felt like giving up. But he knew deep within himself, that he had to keep going. He needed to break free from the grip of the darkness and find the light._

_ A speck of light appeared through the cluster of trees ahead. Glacier looked at it with confused eyes and he crept closer. The speck of light got bigger and Glacier gave a joyous yelp and leapt through. The sight that met his eyes was a painful one._

_ It was Thorn. He was happy, but still not himself. Glacier was confused. He ran to his friend, his long-lost brother in arms. He barked happily but Thorn turned his back. The two girls he was playing with were frightened._

_ Glacier was really confused now._

_ "Thorn?" he asked tentatively _

_ The girls shrieked and Thorn jumped in front of them. His fur bristled as he raised his hackles and growled menacingly. He looked like he was ready to give his life for these girls._

_ Glacier backed up. What happened to his comrade? His pal? This was his best friend; he had known Thorn for years, and now this? Was it just over like that? In one day his position had changed and was ready to kill Glacier._

_ "What happened Thorn?" Glacier managed to choke out._

_ Thorn growled more ferociously in response. Glacier could see the anger that burned in his eyes. His bandana was gone, Kriss' sign of ownership._

_ It wasn't supposed to happen this way. This Glacier knew. He and Thorn were best friends. Now their friendship was shattered. Glacier felt destroyed. Like he had found the pits of hell and they chewed him up alive and spit him out. It was all wrong. And all one person's fault._

_ Glacier's eyes narrowed immensely; for he knew the being who'd done this to him._

_ Ra._

_ The sky darkened overhead again and Glacier looked up. Speak of the devil, there he was. Eyes blazing and looking like he wanted to kick some ass._

_ Glacier snarled as Ra touched ground._

_ "Save your energy, you'll need it for later," Ra held up his claws._

_ Glacier slowly stopped. What did he mean? Was he actually giving him some warning this time?_

_ "Some one is coming. You need to act quickly. The war is moving," Ra told him._

_ Glacier furrowed his brow. Moving? What the hell was that supposed to mean?_

_ Suddenly the ground started changing. Glacier looked at the ground beneath him as it turned to ice. He tried to run, but it slipped so easily._

_ Then it started to crack. Glacier was alarmed. Ra laughed maniacally and stepped upon his lovely little cloud of doom._

_ Glacier tried to run again but slipped and went no where as before._

_ "Thorn!" He cried out, fearful for his friend's life._

_ Thorn took no heed of the cry as he tried with all his might to get the two girls to stable land before the ice gave way._

_ Glacier was surrounded by little cracks that were growing with every second. His eyes were wide as Thorn started to move away from him._

_ "Thorn!" He cried out again._

_ This time however, Thorn looked at him. Glacier looked hopefully back. But all that met him were cold eyes that gave no hint of friendly warmth like before._

_ Glacier drooped his head slightly as Thorn turned his back. His friend was gone. Then the ice gave out._

_ "No!" Glacier yelped as the icy depths of the black water below him, swallowed him mercilessly._

Kriss shot up from her pillow like a spring. She sat upright in bed and breathed heavily. She panted and clutched her blanket even though it offered no protection from anything harmful around her.

It took Kriss a minute to realize that Rebecca was standing in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"Of course I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be okay?" Kriss snapped.

Rebecca looked at her with sympathy.

"It's alright, I had a bad dream too," She looked pitifully at the floor.

"Who said I had a bad dream?" Kriss asked stubbornly.

"You were thrashing around in your sleep."

"I was?" Kriss stared blankly.

"Um, yeah," Rebecca said.

"Oh…. Well I guess I did sorta have a bad dream…" Kriss mused.

Kriss shrugged.

"Oh well!" She said happily than laid down and pulled the covers over her.

"Wait! I had a bad dream too you know!" Rebecca said urgently.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Kriss asked from under the blanket.

"Well… can I stay in here?" Rebecca asked.

"No!" Kriss shot back.

"Please? I won't go away until you let me!" Rebecca insisted.

"Fine! Just leave me alone and let me frickin' sleep!" Kriss shouted at her, though still muffled.

She heard Rebecca squeak and Kris rolled her eyes in a sleep haze.

Soon after Rebecca was hardly even noticeable and Kriss was sleeping soundly.

The Next Morning

Kriss' alarm clock went off at it's usual time and Kriss swatted it off her bedside table.

Rebecca's only warning was the clock's ring before it came smashing into her head.

"Ow!" She cried involuntarily.

"Oh please, that didn't sound like it even hurt!" Kriss scoffed.

"Well it did!" Rebecca sat up rubbing her head where the alarm clock collided.

Kriss scoffed yet again and opened her drawer to search for her uniform; than she remembered that she'd shoved it under her bed. Kriss squatted down and shoved Rebecca aside and pulled it our from under her bed.

Kriss went into the bathroom and got into it. She stepped out and tried to brush her hair. It still looked the same. Kriss glared at it and grabbed her stuff.

"Why do you get up so early?" Rebecca asked.

"Because unlike in grade school, high school starts earlier!" Kriss shot back.

"I'm not in grade school!"

But Kriss didn't hear her and shut the door instead. Kriss sighed and walked downstairs. The dream was still playing over in her mind and it still confused her.

Kriss walked up to the school and was confronted by the school counselor Mr. Conner.

"You and you're brother never showed up for your session Miss Devlin," He stated.

"That's not my name," Kriss told him.

"That's what you're registered as," He said, confused.

"Well, my last name is Ishtar, not Devlin," Kriss scoffed.

"Well, you have to take that up with the office, now, if you come with me," He said, then turned and started walking into the building.

The bell rang and Kriss was going into the counseling office.

"You can keep your stuff with you," He told her.

"Look dude, I don't need to see a counselor! I'm fine! Well, I'm not fine but I'm not a deranged psychopath either!" Kriss said.

"Not according to your teacher."

"She just didn't hear the whole story."

"Well I'm here to listen to the whole story."

"Well, maybe I don't want to give you the whole story!"

"Well then, you can sit here every day until you tell me what is wrong."

"Okay then, I have all the time in the world, nothing important is going to happen in class that won't take me ten minutes to do," Kriss told him as she leaned back in her chair. He did the same.

When the final bell rang Kriss had still refused to give up any information. She left swiftly and silently. Mr. Conner didn't stop her.

She went to her locker. Duke's was right next to hers.

"Did we have any homework?" She asked.

"Yeah, math, page 349 due tomorrow. Where were you?" He questioned back.

"Sitting with Mr. Conner all day. He says if I don't tell him anything than I'll just sit there everyday until I do," Kriss told him.

"That sucks," Duke sympathized.

"Yeah," Kriss opened her locker. A folded piece of paper came swirling out. Kriss picked it up. Duke looked at her, puzzled. Kriss shrugged and opened it.

'_The deadly hour approaches,_

_Time to show where your loyalties lie._

_Either go home to your father,_

_Or try to find your friend before I_

_One is gone_

_The other doesn't remember,_

_Which one has more value?_

_The softie or the contender?'_

Kriss scoffed.

"One guess who that's from," Kriss said.

"She probably means it Kriss! Last time I was at her house I heard her talking on the phone saying that she was fed up that it was taking so long to kill you!" Duke exasperated.

"Really? Oh well, in that case," Kriss looked horrified, "Oh shit! Mom's gonna kill Rex!" Kriss slammed her locker without grabbing the math textbook and ran down the hall.

The hall monitor stopped her soon after.

"No running in the halls! You know that girl!" He said.

Kriss glared at him. He was in her way.

"If you don't move anytime soon my friend is going to get killed, now _move!_" Kriss yelled at him.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that one before," He laughed.

Kriss pushed him aside anyways. She needed to get to her friend before Carmen! Kriss ran down the streets that were filling slowly and sped towards her house; she needed as much help as she could gather.

Kriss flung the door open and ran upstairs. No body noticed too badly. She changed clothes quickly. She had on her sleeveless black tee and special pants that had sideways belt loops. Kriss loaded knives into the ten loops and put the rest into her giant pockets near her knee.

She ran downstairs and ran out the door shouting:

"I'll be back later!"

"When?" Came the reply.

"Later later!"

Kriss ran farther before she could be questioned again and took off in the direction of the apartment complex.

She reached Rex's building and flew up the stairs. She knocked on the door three times.

"C'mon Rex, hurry up! You're freaking me out man!" Kriss muttered under her breath.

There was no answer.

"Rex?" She shouted through the door, "Well, fine! You can die then! See if I care!" Kriss yelled at the closed door.

She stormed down the stairs and went through the lobby to find herself outside again. Now she didn't know what to do. Kriss heard a tapping on glass and spun around. It was the apartment manager.

She stepped back inside. He went up to her and said this,

"Rex checked out this morning. He went back to his parents' now that there are no more dueling competitions."

Kriss was confused. Why hadn't Rex told her about it?

"Can you tell me their address?" Kriss asked.

The manager shook his head.

"I do not know it and if I did, I am not authorized to give you that information."

"Thank you anyways," Kriss said.

The man nodded than walked away.

Then Kriss got an idea once she walked outside. She still had that cell phone! She turned it on and dialed 268-1574. (Yes, I made up cell phone numbers for everyone; you can use them if you like.)

Rex picked it up after one and a half rings.

"Yeah?"

"Rex! There you are, listen, Carmen's coming after you, but since none of us knew about this she doesn't know where you are," Kriss explained.

"Really? So I made a good move on that part?" He asked.

"Yeah, just if she finds you before I do she'll kill you this time, where are you?" She asked.

"At my parents house, uh, in the outskirts of town at this part is kept confidential so you can't stalk Rex, sorry y'all, actually I'm too lazy to make up an address…X.x"

"Okay, I'll be there; you're not alone in this" Kriss disconnected.

At Rex's Parents' House, that was weird to type…

Kriss rang the doorbell. A man who actually looked a lot like Rex 'cept for the black hair; opened the door.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Oh that's friendly, I'm a friend of Rex's," Kriss explained.

Jayvee came around the corner and ran up to Kriss.

"Hey buddy, how are ya?" Kriss asked, petting the cat.

She stepped inside. Rex came down the stairs.

"Hey Rex, okay so-" Kriss started.

"How on earth did you get here so fast?" Rex interrupted.

"Because I ran!"

"Oh, well, that's a suitable explanation," Rex responded.

"Yeah, I thought so," Kriss answered.

Then Rex's mom came around the corner.

"Oh, so this is Rex's little girlfriend," She screeched.

Rex turned red.

"Oh great, it's like the first day of high school all over again…" Kriss exasperated.

"Mom, for the last time, we're _not_ going out! We're just friends!" Rex tried to explain.

"That doesn't work, Wheeler still thinks the same way…" Kriss told him.

"Still? That's dumb," Rex said.

"I know well, Wheeler _is_ dumb so I guess that's where that comes," Kriss said with reason.

"True, uh, well, um, come on, let's go upstairs," Rex offered.

"Uh, sure," Kriss agreed.

They walked into Rex's room upstairs which didn't look much lived in at all. His stuff was still in boxes

"Homey," Kriss stated.

"Oh can it, I just moved this morning keep in mind," Rex scolded.

"You pack fast," Kriss stated. Her cell phone started ringing. Kriss took it off it's' holster and she looked at the caller. The phone read, "The Idiot."

"Oh great..." Kriss sighed.

"Who's that, oh wait, I know," Rex said, he went over and sat on his bed.

Kriss answered it.

"What?"

"Where the hell are you?"

"At Rex's, why?"

"Just wondering, why'd you leave in such a hurry?"

"Well mom gave me some sort of warning that she'd kill my friends but Rex had gone back to his parents and so I'm there."

"Wait, wait, wait, she gave you a warning? Oh, that's a first."

"Yeah I know there was a note in my locker and actually if she'd leave anything in there I would assume it to be a bomb…"

"Yeah, me too, when are you coming back?"

"Later"

"When later?"

"Later, later! I don't know!"

"I didn't expect you to…"

"You're so supportive it amazes me."

"Thank you, okay, I have to go now, call me when you're coming home!"

"Okay! Fine! Ra! Just go away!"

"FINE!" he disconnected.

"I'm so good at getting rid of him," Kriss sighed.

"I noticed," Rex stated.

"Oh, thank you!" Kriss said happily.

"No prob."

Kriss smirked.

"I hope she doesn't come too quickly, oh wait! Duke might know where she is or something!" Kriss exclaimed, she got out her cell phone again and punched in 931-8624. Duke picked it up after the first ring.

"Who's this?" He asked on the other line.

"Kriss."

"You're 225-7920?"

"Um, yeah! So anyways, do you know where mom is right now?"

"Um, no, why would I know where she is?"

"Because you're smart like that?"

"I'm not her keeper you know."

"I know! I know! Just do you have any clue?"

"No!"

"Fine then! You don't have to yell about it!"

"Oh, yeah, Rebecca can go back to her house now, its safe"

"Thank Ra! Pick her up tomorrow after school!"

"Fine! I will, see you tomorrow!"

"Okay! Bye!" Kriss concluded happily.

"So, what's up?" Rex asked.

"Oh, he didn't know" Kriss told him.

"I gathered that much."

"I thought you would."

"I did," Rex answered.

"It might be safe for me to leave right now, just call if a certain someone shows up after all," Kriss told him.

Rex nodded and Kriss went back downstairs.

"You're leaving so soon? I was hoping I'd get to know you better," Rex's mom said.

"Eh? Oh, I've got stuff to do though," Kriss explained.

"Oh, alright."

Kriss rolled her eyes and went out the door.

That Night

Kriss thrashed again. At least this time Rebecca was gone. There would be no more annoyance from her for the time being. Kriss furrowed her brow in her sleep and growled softly.

A crashing to glass awakened her from her nightmare.

Kriss shot up, as she had so many times before. She looked over at the window to see Carmen standing there in all her glory.

Kriss snarled and transformed into Glacier, pouncing on Carmen. Carmen transformed just as quickly and the two were tearing at each other with hate similar to that of fire and ice.

Glacier got in his few blows, as did Carmen. Glacier had a lot of cuts. Many reopened from the fight where Thorn had died. Carmen scratched him on the side of his head and leapt back. She transformed back and stood on the windowsill.

"I gave you the warning. You didn't heed it. Rex was safe today, but I know where he is now. I will give you one last chance to save him. I want my last fight!" Carmen told her.

"Last fight? You'll get it tomorrow!" Kriss warned after she'd changed back.

"Tomorrow? Okay then, when? Six perhaps? How about at Rex's, you're little boyfriend needs to see that you're not reliable after all!" Carmen smirked.

"Boyfriend?" Kriss shouted.

"I'll be back tonight, maybe, keep a watch out!" Carmen laughed. Then she jumped off the window and took off at a full run.

Kriss ran to window and saw her silhouette running in the half moonlight. She sighed and sat on her bed. Kriss leaned against the wall and just stared into space.

The Next Morning

Kriss's alarms never went off. She'd turned it off. Which was a very bad idea indeed. Marik opened the door at six thirty.

"Kid? You never came down…" He said.

Kriss turned her head and looked at her father.

"But it's only six ten…" She told him. Kriss looked at the clock.

"OH SHIT!" Kriss jumped off the bed and grabbed her uniform.

Marik sighed and shut the door.

Kriss hopped around her room grabbing her stuff then she bolted out the door and flew out of the house without grabbing anything to eat.

Kriss ran all the way to school and was there by the normal time. She panted slightly as she walked into the building.

Again like yesterday, Mr. Conner stopped her from going into her classroom.

Kriss sat in the evil room of counseling and her eyelids started drooping from lack of sleep the night before.

"Hey!" Mr. Conner snapped his fingers in front of her face and she awakened immediately.

"Wha-? What's going on?" Kriss said groggily.

"You can't go to sleep in school!"

"I can't go to sleep at my house either…" Kriss responded.

"Why not?"

"I'm not telling you, but it does have something to do with my mom," Kriss turned away and glared at the wall.

"Why don't you like to talk about your life?"

"'Cause it'd be a waste of your time, what's happened has happened, there's no changing it now," Kriss told him.

"However true that is, I'd like to know what kind of person you are, and the only way I can fully understand what's going on is if you tell me!"

"You want the truth? I'll give you the truth! I'm some street punk off the streets that has been abused and orphaned. My mom is trying to kill me and I lost my best friend! I hate the world and it hates me back! There! There ya go! That's who I am!" Kriss shouted, eyes tearing, "And if you must know, I was kept awake all night by my mom's threat that she might come and kill me."

"Well, that was productive," Mr. Conner said.

"Now you know who I am, the rest doesn't matter."

"Then why don't you tell me the rest? We have the time."

Kriss gave in and told him her history.

"I guess it won't take too long then, I was orphaned at birth, until three years of age when my mom came back and got me. But she just wanted a slave around the house, so that's how that went down. So when I was nine I ran away. At that time I found my best friend, Thorn. He's a pure-bred wolf of genius intelligence, at least, he was. Four years later, now, I met my other best friend Rex. Soon after I found my brother who introduced me to my father," Kriss turned away, "I was shocked. He didn't want me. So we fight a lot. Until Carmen discovered how to break me. She killed Thorn. I was mad at Rex, my aunt was mad at me for that, Duke was mad at me, and everyone hated me. That's why I'm here," Kriss told him.

"So, you're mom killed your dog?"

"WOLF! And he was like my brother."

"Alright, then, so what else happened, like last night?"

"Fine, fine, uhh, Ra gave Thorn back, but at a price-"

"Who's Ra?"

"A god, now, Thorn doesn't know who I am, according to him, he's a giant dog that lives with little kids and goes by the name of Charlie. I made up with Rex, and the final battle is soon to come," Kriss glowered.

"Is that why you're all beat up now? You look awful; those cuts need to be looked at."

"Thank you for noticing this now. But, these are nothing; they barely hurt, maybe…" Kriss winced.

Mr. Conner sighed.

"The fact that you were a street punk shows greatly right now."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I took it as one."

"If these were caused by your mom than why do they look like scratched from a dog?"

"That, my friend, I can't tell you."

After School

"Hey Kriss! Teech wants to see you," Duke told Kriss at their lockers.

Kriss sighed and went into the classroom.

"Do you have your assignment? I know that Duke told you about it."

"No, I didn't have time last night."

"Enlighten me."

"I went over to my friend's house last night."

"That's more important than homework?"

"Yesterday? Yes, if I didn't get over there in time he would have been killed!"

"Nice excuse, give it me tomorrow."

Kriss sighed. It was a perfect excuse; she just didn't hear the whole thing. Eh, she could talk to Conner if she wanted it that bad.

Kriss rolled her eyes and grabbed her textbook this time.

"Hey, Duke!" Kriss called, grabbing Duke's attention.

"Hey what?"

"You owe me a trip to the museum! Something about an exhibit!" Kriss reminded him.

"Oh yeah! Come back to my shop and let me get my car real quick though." Duke told her.

"Okay!"

At the Museum

"So what is it that I will be ever-so-interested in?" Kriss asked.

"Over here," Duke called.

Kriss walked over. It was a glass case with a pine base. Inside if it was a headband. Kriss' eyes boggled as she realized what she was looking at. It was a headband with a triangular design on it. But the intriguing part was that attached to it was another wolf tooth!

"How did they find this?" Kriss asked.

"It says it's from Mexico right here, but look," Duke pointed to the little sign next to it that gave the history.

Kriss peered at it and read:

_'Long ago the ancient wolf of Iconth wanted to pass on his skill and knowledge. But this was a time of Great War. Apprentices could not be taken. So when he was old he went to see a witch. He had the witch saw off his canines. Then he died, but without first applying instructions. She gave the teeth powers. She then fastened each tooth to a different item. A rawhide necklace, a leather spiked collar, a steel decorated bracelet and a fabric headband. These were meant for humans to use. They were transformed into wolves. So, each was given to someone. Half were white, and half became white. The bracelet and the necklace turned them into white wolves. Of the colors there was one of each gender. These four wolves taught each other different values. These four wolves finished the war and passed on their wisdom. After a few generations, the head band came here, in this museum, the location of the other three are unknown.'_

While Kriss had been reading a man had started as well.

"How'd they find this much out?" Kriss asked her brother.

Duke shrugged, "I dunno, ancient scriptures maybe?"

"Maybe, you can figure out a lot of information that way…" Kriss mused.

"That's a bunch of bull," The man suddenly exclaimed.

"Why?" Asked Kriss and Duke simultaneously.

"Don't tell me you believe this shit!" The man said in disbelief.

"I believe anything that's true," Kriss growled.

"This is so not true," He told her.

"Yes it is! And I have proof!" Kriss shouted back.

The man at the counter looked over. Sighed and then started walking over.

"Where! Where's this so-called 'proof'?" Asked the man.

Kriss coolly responded with, "I can't show you, because then it'd get confiscated."

"Okay, what's going on here?" The co-manager asked.

"Is that 'legend' true?" The man asked.

"Yes." Both the co-manager and Kriss answered.

The co-manager looked at Kriss and gasped when he saw what was around her neck.

"You have one of them!" He gasped.

"Huh?" Kriss asked, then she looked at it. She hastily shoved it inside her shirt.

"Have what?" She asked dumbly.

"I'll but it off of you!" He offered.

"No way! If I don't have this at six then I'll die! Besides, you wouldn't treat Glacier with respect," Kriss told them, "Bad enough, she's trapped in that case!" Kriss said, pointed towards the glass case."

"She? That one's a girl one?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes," Kriss answered.

"How do you know?"

"I…uh…." Kriss looked at Duke.

"Don't look at me, you're the one that blabbed," Duke told her.

Kriss glared at him and found the right words, then she got a miscievious look, "I know where the other two are, and I will sell them to you tomorrow, if I'm alive," Kriss smirked.

Duke rolled his eyes, "Always have to be in charge of the game don't you?"

Kriss grinned, "Yep!"

Duke rolled his eyes again.

The co-manager boggled, "You'd really do that!" He asked in disbelief.

"I told you, if I'm alive tomorrow, it all depends on tonight's fight," Kriss reminded him.

"C'mon, let's go, I thought you have to be at Rex's by five?" Duke hurried.

Kriss looked at her watch, it was four-thirty, "Oh shit! You're right! _¡Vamos!_" Kriss exclaimed.

Kriss ran out of the museum with Duke at her heels. She sprinted down the road as he headed towards his car.

Kriss transformed and pounded down the streets to his house.

At Rex's

Glacier skidded to a stop in front of the door. He scratched, as he was too tired to transform. He'd already gone home and changed.

The door opened, this time it was Rex's mom.

"Aw, you poor thing!" She exclaimed.

"Save it for later," Glacier snarled as her walked past her.

She screamed and he made a dash for Rex's room.

He transformed and Kriss opened the door and slammed it.

"You're mom's insane!" she exclaimed.

"What'd you do now?" Rex asked.

"I said you're mom, not my mom, we all know she's insane, Glacier talked to her and she screamed," Kriss said.

"Well yeah, what'd you expect? She's never really seen a talking wolf before," Rex told her.

"True, uh, we'd better get downstairs…" Kriss suggested.

"Why?" Asked Rex.

"Carmen knows where you are…" Kriss told him.

"What? Oh, c'mon let's go!" Rex jumped off his bed and they ran downstairs.

Rex's dad was comforting Rex's mom and she shook.

"Hey, what's up?" Rex asked casually.

"You're mom claims to have seen a talking dog…" His dad answered.

Kriss raised her eyebrow.

"Um, okay….?" She said.

Rex looked at her.

"What?"

"…nothing."

"Better be nothing."

"Will you two cut it out! I thought you were dating!" Rex's mom exclaimed.

"We're not dating!" Kriss shouted.

"Well, you act like it!"

"But we're not!" Rex butted in, "Believe us!"

Rex's mom sighed, "Fine."

"Finally!' Kriss exclaimed.

Then the living room window crashed in.

Kriss and Rex looked at each other.

"She's here."

**Ohhhh****! Cliffhanger! What happens now? Who will die? Is anyone even reading my story anymore? Why am I asking all of these questions? Do you want me to stop? Do I have to?**

**-Kriss, the one and only!**


End file.
